REPORT: Astronomers find seven Earth-size planets where life may be possible

Nicole Hajal Author: Nicole Hajal
Breaking Headlines
2017-02-23 | 10:43
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REPORT: Astronomers find seven Earth-size planets where life may be possible
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REPORT: Astronomers find seven Earth-size planets where life may be possible
NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope has located a nearby solar system with seven Earth-sized planets, three of which circle their parent star at the right distance for liquid surface water, raising the prospect of life, research published on Wednesday  showed.

“The discovery gives us a hint that finding a second earth is not just a matter of if, but when,” said NASA's Thomas Zurbuchen at a news conference at NASA's headquarters in Washington, D.C.  

‘What we really have in this story is a major step forward towards answering one of these very questions that are at the heart of so many of our philosophers of what we are thinking about when we're by ourselves and that basically is -  are we alone out there?”

The star, known as TRAPPIST-1, is a small, dim celestial body in the constellation Aquarius.

It is located about 40 light years away from Earth. 
Researchers hope to scan the planets' atmospheres for possible chemical fingerprints of life. The proximity of the system, combined with the proportionally large size of its planets compared to the small star, make it a good target for follow-up studies.
 
“Because with not just one planet but several we have room, that, if we didn't have the habitable zone quite right or weren't sure quite what we're looking for, we have many chances over. You can say colloquially it's like in this planetary system Goldilocks has many sisters,” said Sara Seager, Professor of Planetary Science and Physics at MIT.

The diameter of TRAPPIST-1 is about 8 percent of the sun's size. That makes its Earth-sized planets appear large as they parade past.

Because TRAPPIST-1 is so small and cool, its so-called “habitable zone” is very close to the star.

Three planets are properly positioned for liquid water, said lead researcher Michael Gillon, with the University of Liege in Belgium.

“We have, thanks to Spitzer too, a preliminary measurement of the masses for six of them and for one of them our measurement is precise enough to strongly suggest a water-rich composition which is very exciting because this is one of the planets in the habitable zone,” Gillon said.

Even if the planets do not have life now, it could evolve.
 TRAPPIST-1 is at least 500 million years old, but has an estimated lifespan of 10 trillion years. The sun, by comparison, is about halfway through its estimated 10-billion-year life.

In a few billion years, when the sun has run out of fuel and the solar system has ceased to exist, TRAPPIST-1 will still be an infant star, astronomer Ignas Snellen, with the Netherlands' Leiden Observatory, wrote in a related essay in Nature.

The newly discovered planets are among more than 3,500 planets discovered beyond the solar system, or exoplanets.

According to NASA, the discovery sets a new record for the greatest number of habitable-zone planets found around a single star outside our solar system.

Researchers have focused on finding Earth-sized rocky planets with the right temperatures so that water, if any exists, would be liquid, a condition believed to be necessary for life.


REUTERS


To watch the full report, please click on the video above.

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