An Iron planet 10 times Earth's mass was created in cosmic collision

Astronomers have spotted an 'iron planet' which is 10 times the mass of our Earth. The massive planet is believed to have formed after an ancient cosmic collision. It is said that a high-speed collision with another planet might have ripped off the outer mantle of the planet - leaving only a rocky, iron core.

The discovery was made when the astronomers were observing a star system which is more than 1,600 light years away and has four planets. One of these four planets is called Kepler-107c and is unusually heavy in relation to its size.

This is the first time a cosmic crash to have been detected outside our solar system. Experts believe a similar collision between Earth and a Mars-sized object is said to be the cause for the formation of the moon around 4.5 billion years ago.

The astronomers calculated the speed of the planets that were a part of the collision. The finding suggests that the planets were traveling at a speed f 37 miles per second at the time of impact.

'The diversity of planets found outside our solar system is fascinating. We can use this diversity to better understand how planets form and evolve,' said Professor Ken Rice, University of Edinburgh.

Another recent study claims, a collision with close by galaxy could send our solar system hurling into space. Researchers at Durham University predict that the Large Magellanic Cloud might collide with the Milky Way at some point in the future. However, there's a possibility that the collision will take place much earlier than it is expected.