London, Nov.1 : British astronomers have reportedly discovered three new planet orbiting around distant stars.

According to The Times, the planets are similar in size and composition to Jupiter, but orbit their stars so closely that their year is shorter than two days.

They also are unlikely to harbour life because of surface temperatures in excess of 2,000C (3,632F).

The discoveries have made the team from the Wide Angle Search for Planets (Wasp) the first group of astronomers to find planets, known as exosolar planets, outside of our solar system in the skies of the northern and southern hemispheres.

Two planets named Wasp4 and Wasp5 were identified using cameras in South Africa.

Wasp3 was picked up by a camera in the Canary Islands. The team has also found two other exosolar planets in the northern hemisphere.

Coel Hellier, of Keele University, who led the study, said of Wasp4 and Wasp5: “These two are now the brightest transiting planets in the southern hemisphere.” (ANI)