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Six billion tonnes a second: Rogue planet found growing at record rate (www.eso.org)

submitted 8 months ago by kalkulat@lemmy.world to c/astronomy@lemmy.world

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"(ESO’s VLT) reveals that this free-floating planet is eating up gas and dust from its surroundings at a rate of six billion tonnes a second. This is the strongest growth rate ever recorded for a rogue planet, or a planet of any kind...."

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[–] HejMedDig@feddit.dk -5 points 8 months ago (2 children)

Fascinating! At one point, I can't help but think, why do we spend money on something so far away, but on the other hand I'm always fascinated by space news

[–] thegreatloofa@lemmy.world 8 points 8 months ago (1 children)

The money is spent here, on Earth. It goes on wages, utilities, contractors and the like. Spending money is great, it keeps it circulating around! And in this case, in addition to paying everyone and everything involved, we add to our understanding of the universe. Money well spent.

[–] HejMedDig@feddit.dk -3 points 8 months ago

I understand the economics of it, and appreciate the science, but can't help thinking that money could be spent on other things, that could be more beneficial to mankind, like climate research or finding ways to transition away from oil and plastics

[–] kalkulat@lemmy.world 2 points 8 months ago

why do we spend money on something so far away

I suppose for the same reason we spend so much money to gather intelligence on foreign countries. And besides 'black holes' there are a lot of 'rogue planets' out there. They're are being spotted as we've recently gotten a new wave of much better telescopes.