The planet is super dense and is made up of carbon. With the kind of density its pulling, scientists figure the carbon must be crystalline aka diamond.
According to Matthew Bailes of Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne:
“The evolutionary history and amazing density of the planet all suggest it is comprised of carbon — i.e. a massive diamond orbiting a neutron star every two hours in an orbit so tight it would fit inside our own Sun”
Astronomers speculate that the new diamond is probably a remnant of a once gigantic star that’s lost its outer layers. It now “only” has a little more mass than Jupiter, the BFP (biggest f**king planet) in our solar system but is 20 times more dense. Sadly, for the diamond loving citizens of Earth, the planet is ,000 light years away. [Reuters via @LoriBergamotto]
Image: Reuters
darknessfalls
Friday, August 26, 2011 at 9:55 AMCarbon could be in metallic state, given conditions.
Dane
Friday, August 26, 2011 at 10:07 AMHave you got a reference for that claim? I’m pretty sure that ‘metallic state’ isn’t an allotrope of carbon (a non-metallic element).
Leo
Friday, August 26, 2011 at 10:10 AM…except that carbon is a non-metallic element and does not have a “metallic” state. :p
darknessfalls
Friday, August 26, 2011 at 12:13 PMhttp://www.tgdaily.com/general-sciences-features/44177-honda-claims-breakthrough-in-carbon-nanotubes
Jackson Bison
Friday, August 26, 2011 at 2:44 PM‘Metallic conductivity’ – not ‘metallic’
darknessfalls
Friday, August 26, 2011 at 12:17 PMHow about hydrogen? You think it cannot be metallic too?
Dane
Friday, August 26, 2011 at 7:20 PMI think you need to refresh yourself on what a metal is. Typically, it’s an atom that has a few excess electrons that can form a free sea when grouped together. The electrons can then move around freely which gives metals most of their common properties (shiny, a good conductor, etc.)
Atoms like hydrogen and carbon are short of electrons and hence form covalent bonds with other non-metals so that electrons can be shared and increasing the stability of the compound. Carbon nanotubes are a crystalline structure of carbon that can conduct electrons due to the types of covalent bonds formed. They differ greatly from a metal although macroscopic properties can be similar.
Steve
Saturday, August 27, 2011 at 11:54 PMDerp. I think you need to brush up on your chemistry.
Compression of an element does not change how many electrons each atom has available in a conduction band.
justin
Friday, August 26, 2011 at 10:01 AMSweet 0 light years away. That means Earth is the biggest diamond in the universe!
Matt L
Friday, August 26, 2011 at 10:03 AMThe price of diamonds just fell 1000000%
Troy
Friday, August 26, 2011 at 10:03 AM“the planet is ,000 light years away”
Oh thats pretty far
Barry
Friday, August 26, 2011 at 10:10 AMSadly, for the diamond loving citizens of Earth, the planet is ,000 light years away
That’s HERE!!!!
EckyThump
Friday, August 26, 2011 at 10:49 AMIf it actually is a giant diamond, chances are man will never mine it,… at least not with our current model of physics, and gravity in particular! The Gravity would just squash anything that got near it! It’s a pity too, because you could cover everything that degrades in our smoggy atmosphere in diamond and it would last forever! #]
Cflow
Friday, August 26, 2011 at 11:23 AMMy definition of mining here would be:
Map from a distance
Assess possible fracture point
Fire BFG at fracture point
Collect the debris
Live like a king
EckyThump
Friday, August 26, 2011 at 12:46 PMHeh, That would be the larger of the BFG’s, Dooms model would not cut it! #]
Kevin
Friday, August 26, 2011 at 2:05 PMumm.. i already read this on SMH.. and the last thing on their mind is about mining it..
it is 4000 light years away….
OH !! im gonna go buy this planet.. naming rights etc..
Michael Zupecki
Friday, August 26, 2011 at 11:15 AM,000, interesting!
cayal
Friday, August 26, 2011 at 11:27 AMScene when I get home tonight:
g/f: I found the ring.
me: What ring?
g/f: the diamond ring you’re getting me.
me: oh yeah? where is it?
g/f: here – http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2011/08/the-biggest-diamond-in-the-universe-is-actually-a-planet/#comments
Michael
Friday, August 26, 2011 at 1:09 PMIs the planet called Midnight?
Rocketman
Friday, August 26, 2011 at 3:06 PMDr who fan for the win.
Luke
Friday, August 26, 2011 at 3:35 PMIts mine… i called it.
Michael
Saturday, August 27, 2011 at 5:38 PMXD It was my first thought, also watchef a repeat if that ep on iview the other night.
Evan
Friday, August 26, 2011 at 6:37 PMSounds similar to the events of 2010 (Arthur C. Clarke) story about Jupiter having a diamond core.