The Search for Another Earth-Like Planet Just Took a Big Step Forward
Astronomers have confirmed for the first time the existence of a rocky planet with an atmosphere that also happens to be in what's known as the habitable zone.
Located 48 light-years away, the exoplanet—that is, a planet outside our solar system—may be the most similar thing to Earth that researchers have come across. If not a twin then certainly a family member.
Researchers at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics were able to detect signatures of helium around LHS 1140 b, an exoplanet circling a cool red dwarf. The previously identified body has a rocky composition and is far enough from its host star to be able to retain liquid water on its surface. The team documented their findings in the journal Science this week.
The presence of an atmosphereis essential for a planet to support life as we know it. On Earth, for example, the atmosphere allows...
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