US astronomers have discovered an Earth-sized planet that they think might be habitable. Habitable means that it is capable to be inhabited or suitable and fit for a person to live in.
Astronomers say it is the first time they have clearly spotted a planet beyond our solar system in what is sometimes called the Goldilocks zone, where key conditions for life to exist are just right.
Not too far from its star it orbits around - red dwarf star Gliese 581 - but not too close. So it is not too hot, not too cold for liquid water and life. It is just right. Just like Earth.
The planet, named Gliese 581g, has a mass three to four times that of Earth and an orbital period of just under 37 days.
And it is in our galactic neighbourhood. That suggests that plenty of Earth-like planets circle other stars and maybe that we are not alone.
The National Science Foundation announced the finding Wednesday. The planet circles a star that is 193 trillion kilometres away, which is closer than most stars.
2 comments:
I am enjoying reading about the things that interest you Aashay. I wonder if we (humans) will ever be able to travel to planets this far away. Just found this unusual fact -
"There’s one more interesting fact about this newly discovered planet called Gliese 581g. Since it is tidally locked to the Gliese 581 dwarf star, one side of the planet is always facing the star and is in perpetual daylight, while the side facing away from the star is in perpetual darkness."
http://www.dotsperiod.com/1142/gliese-581g-new-planet-discovered-this-2010
Hope your holiday is going well.
Glenys
Glenys is right.
Apparently we will need to live right in the middle where the light meets the dark as this will be the only place on the planet that would have the right temperature for us.
The dark side (sounds like Star Wars) will be too cold and the sunny side (sounds like an egg) will be too hot.
Aashay you write well. Keep it up.
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