nasa discover a planet that is made out of diamond

The original News report (from Reuters) is here: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/08/25/us-planet-diamond-idUSTRE77O69A20110825 Of course, nobody has actually seen this planet. All that we have to go on are measurements of light from the tiny star and the way it varies (from which scientists calculate that there is a planet-like object which periodically blocks the light from the star). Once scientists know the rotation period and can deduce other things about a planetary system, they can speculate on its density and what it must be made of to cause such behaviour. It is truly astounding that there can be tiny stars, only about 12 miles in diameter with planets which appear to be 3000 times the size of them! It is also quite incredible that we can even detect such tiny objects over a distance which takes light 4000 years to travel. That would be of the same order as actually seeing a full-stop on this page through a telescope on the planet Venus! The light (and therefore the heat) from the tiny star must be immense and so the planet may not be in a form which we would call 'diamond' at all except that the densest crystal of pure carbon which we know is diamond and the planet is supposed to consist mainly of carbon.

made of of diamond? really..?wow..where did u see this? on yahooo? i will check it out later.. Superman's home actually made of ice and Crystal..not diamond,, if that new planet discovered by NASA. is indeed diamond..that it must be previously very hot and turned hardened to a diamond state. (as would a real diamond here on earth) if u have direct link to this particular news ..please share..im interested to read about it..

Generally it does not make any sense, but anything is possible. NASA's discovery is mostly works in progress. I would be curious how they discover it at the first place. Does that news mention the method of discovery?

A mylotter responding to your discussion posted a link to the original Reuter's story which ran in August. Until your discussion, I had not heard anything of this. I learn so much from mylot. Glad you posted your discussion.

I couldn't imagine a world filled with diamonds. If that is our world, many are already getting rich. Also it sounds fantasy when you said it was in batman's. Whether it is true or not, NASA does its task in finding more what is outside of earth.

lol I'm sure it is like 1000 lightyears away from our solar system. It's still fun to know

SSSSusshhhh! All women will want this on their finger now

I have not heard this. When did you hear it? I would think something like this would be on TV news. I am going to do an internet search. It is interesting, if true.

Hi greatwolf and welcome to myLot. Coming to think of it, diamond is after all a form of Carbon and the most stable form of it, so that shouldn't be surprising. What surprises me is mostly far away planets are known to be made up of Hydrogen and Helium and such lighter elements. So Carbon is . . . is a little unusual. It would be a girl's dream world I'm sure. Maybe, I'll start a business where I introduce a 3 days, 2 nights package of stay there!!!

ooo really ? So I hope the planet will be broken into pieces and fall down to earth :D ha, it will do good to us :P