WASP-17b is a newly discovered planet that is about 1,000 light years away from the earth in the constellation Scorpius.http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1206148/Backwards-galaxy-First-planet-orbits-opposite-direction-star.html Its orbit around the star WASP-17 is "retrograde" or backwards in comparison to the rest of the planets in the known universe. The low-density WASP-17b was discovered by astronomers at the Keele University in Great Britain. The discovery of the planet, which is about twice the size of Jupiter, was announced on August 12, 2009.http://www.nydailynews.com/news/us_world/2009/08/13/2009-08-13_scientists_discover_new_planet_wasp17_that_orbits_backwards.html
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Fast Facts
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Discovered by a team of astronomers at the Keele University in Great Britian
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WASP-17b is located 1,000 light years away from earth
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Approximately the size of Jupiter
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WASP-17b travels in a backwards orbit around its star (WASP-17)
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The odd orbit is believed to have been caused by a "near collision during the early, violent stages" of its planetary system
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WASP-17b has a very low density
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Weighs half as much as Jupiter
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Orbits every 3.7 days
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WASP 17b was the 17th planet found by the Wide Area Search for Planets (hence the name WASP-17)
