First confirmed exoplanets around a pulsar
Primeros exoplanetas confirmados (púlsar PSR B1257+12)
- Date
- 1992 · confidence high
- Place
- Arecibo Observatory, Puerto Rico
- Credited to
- Aleksander Wolszczan, Dale Frail
- People
- 👤 Aleksander Wolszczan1946–👤 Dale Frail1961–
- Field
- Cosmos & Earth
⚠️ Disputed: the sources disagree.
What was discovered
Variations in the arrival of the pulses revealed two (later three) Earth-mass planets orbiting a neutron star. First secure detection of planets beyond the Solar System.
An earlier announcement by Lyne (1991) proved erroneous; Campbell and Walker (1988) had found hints at Gamma Cephei.
What it led to
- Exoplanet science
- Demonstration that planets can form in extreme environments