Boy, 15, discovered a planet

David Pescovitz 7:30 am Fri Jun 12, 2015

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Scientists have confirmed that Tom Wagg, now 17, discovered a new planet in a solar system 1000 light years away.

Wagg was 15-years-old on a work experience (like an internship) with an astrophysics professor at Keele University in the UK when he made his discovery. Searching data from the Wide Angle Search for Planets (WASP) project, Wagg noticed a very subtle dip in the star's light as the planet moved across it.

"I'm hugely excited to have a found a new planet, and I'm very impressed that we can find them so far away," Wagg says.

"Work-experience schoolboy discovers a new planet" (Keele University)

"Schoolboy on work experience discovers planet" (The Guardian)

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