Newly discovered exoplanet could support life
- 6 years ago
SPACE — Scientists using the European Southern Observatory's planet-hunting HARPS instrument have discovered a new exoplanet just 11 light-years from our solar system.
Ross 128 b is roughly the same size as Earth and is believed to share a similar surface temperature, according to a press release from ESO.
The exoplanet's host star is Ross 128, a red dwarf that is smaller and cooler than our Sun. It's 20 times closer to its star than Earth is to the sun, and completes an orbit in just 9.9 days.
Red dwarf stars such as the Proxima Centauri are unstable and often subject their planets to flares and deadly UV radiation. But Ross 128 is a much quieter star, which means its exoplanets may be a more comfortable place to host life.
Scientists are unsure if Ross 128 b is in fact habitable, but agree that it is a good candidate for study. ESO's Extremely Large Telescope is set to look for biomarkers such as oxygen in the exoplanet's atmosphere by 2025.
Ross 128 b is roughly the same size as Earth and is believed to share a similar surface temperature, according to a press release from ESO.
The exoplanet's host star is Ross 128, a red dwarf that is smaller and cooler than our Sun. It's 20 times closer to its star than Earth is to the sun, and completes an orbit in just 9.9 days.
Red dwarf stars such as the Proxima Centauri are unstable and often subject their planets to flares and deadly UV radiation. But Ross 128 is a much quieter star, which means its exoplanets may be a more comfortable place to host life.
Scientists are unsure if Ross 128 b is in fact habitable, but agree that it is a good candidate for study. ESO's Extremely Large Telescope is set to look for biomarkers such as oxygen in the exoplanet's atmosphere by 2025.