The Thief in the Telescope episode artwork

EPISODE · Apr 22, 2026 · 19 MIN

The Thief in the Telescope

from The Breaking Point · host Podcaster

In 1995, astronomer Michel Mayor was hunting for failed stars when his instruments detected something impossible: a planet orbiting another star in just four days, blazing at 1000°C. This wasn't the Earth-like world anyone expected to find first—it was a 'hot Jupiter' that shattered every theory about how solar systems form and launched the greatest treasure hunt in astronomy. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In 1995, astronomer Michel Mayor was hunting for failed stars when his instruments detected something impossible: a planet orbiting another star in just four days, blazing at 1000°C. This wasn't the Earth-like world anyone expected to find first—it was a 'hot Jupiter' that shattered every theory about how solar systems form and launched the greatest treasure hunt in astronomy.

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The Thief in the Telescope

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In 1995, astronomer Michel Mayor was hunting for failed stars when his instruments detected something impossible: a planet orbiting another star in just four days, blazing at 1000°C. This wasn't the Earth-like world anyone expected to find first—it...

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