Astronomers Detect First Possible Planet Outside of Our Galaxy

(Left) A composite image that contain a box that marks the location of the possible planet candidate. (Right) An illustration of the possible planet. R. DiStefano et al., Grendler, and M. Weiss/NASA/SAO/ESA

NASA has announced the possibility of the first confirmed planet located outside of the Milky Way galaxy.

Astronomers using NASA’s space-based telescope Chandra X-ray Observatory identified a potential exoplanet in spiral galaxy Messier 51 (M51), also known as the Whirlpool Galaxy.