Astronomers have figured out a new way to weigh planets using radio signals.
ScienceDaily (Oct. 23, 2010) — An international CSIRO-led team of astronomers has developed a new way to weigh the planets in our Solar System -- using radio signals from the small spinning stars called pulsars.
"This is first time anyone has weighed entire planetary systems -- planets with their moons and rings," said team leader Dr David Champion from Germany's Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie.
"And we've provided an independent check on previous results, which is great for planetary science."
Measurements of planet masses made this new way could feed into data needed for future space missions.