Astronomers have detected a rogue planet with a mass similar to that of Saturn. Using observations from both ground-based telescopes and space instruments, they were able to measure the planet's size and distance from Earth.

Most planets orbit one or more stars, but some planets, known as free-floating or rogue planets, do not have any stellar companion. These planets are usually detected through subtle gravitational effects on background light, a method called microlensing, because they emit very little light themselves.

Microlensing alone often fails to accurately measure the distance or mass of these planets, as this effect is typically observed from only one location.A team of astronomers led by Subho Dong of Peking University and the National Astronomical Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences discovered a free-flying (rogue) planet during a brief microlensing event.

The event was observed from different points both on Earth and in space.The team analysed data from the Gaia Space Telescope, located 930,000 miles away, along with data from multiple ground-based surveys.

By comparing the small differences in the time taken for light to reach each observation point, they determined the planet's mass and its distance from Earth.

Source:Ndtv