Astronomers have discovered an Earth-sized planet that could be habitable
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A team of astronomers from the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy (Germany) discovered a new planet that could be favorable for life.
It is located 31 light years away from us, reports Science Alert.
Scientists have spotted a rocky Earth-sized planet orbiting at a distance from its star that could potentially be habitable.
The exoplanet, the mass of which is 1.36 times greater than the mass of the Earth, was named Wolf 1069b. It makes a complete revolution around its star in 15.6 days and is placed 15 times closer to it than, for example, the Earth is to the Sun.
The surface of a rocky exoplanet orbiting a red dwarf star. Photo: NASA |
Therefore, Wolf 1069 b could be too hot on the surface, but it orbits a red dwarf that is much cooler than the Sun.
The planet is similar to Mercury. It can have a temperature of about -23°C. This is too cold for liquid water, which without an atmosphere would have turned into steam anyway.
Obviously, habitability requires a lot more than just being close to a star.
To learn more about the suitability of Wolf 1069b for life, scientists say, we have to wait another ten years.
It will be recalled that a team of researchers from the University of Montreal found evidence that two exoplanets orbiting a red dwarf star are “water worlds”.
Read also: The Hubble Space Telescope photographed a “smoke screen” of stars.
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