DEAN:
THIS WEEK WE WANT TO INTRODUCE YOU TO A

PAIR OF STARS WITH HIDDEN SECRETS.

JAMES:
WERE TALKING ABOUT ALTAIR AND FOMALHAUT.

JAMES:
AT ONLY 17 LIGHT YEARS AWAY, ALTAIR IS ONE

OF OUR CLOSEST STARS AND ALTHOUGH ALTAIR LOOKS
LIKE A NORMAL WHITE STAR IT HAS A

HIDDEN SECRET.

DEAN:
ALTAIR SPINS AT OVER

286 KILOMETERS PER SECOND!

THAT SPINNING IS SO FAST THAT IT ACTUALLY
SQUISHES

THE ENTIRE STAR AT
THE POLES!

THEN LOOK SOUTH AT 10:00 P.M.--
YOU'LL SEE ONLY ONE BRIGHT STAR.

THIS IS FOMALHAUT THE BRIGHTEST STAR IN THE
CONSTELLATION OF

PISCIS AUSTRALIS OR THE SOUTHERN FISH.

JAMES:
ASTRONOMERS PHOTOGRAPHED THE FIRST EVER PLANET

AROUND FOMALHAUT.

YOU HAVE TO REALLY SQUINT,
BUT THERE IT IS.

ASTRONOMERS HAVE DISCOVERED THOUSANDS OF PLANETS
AROUND OTHER STARS BUT THIS

IS ONE OF THE FEW WHERE WE HAVE A PICTURE
OF IT.