Are you ready for some out-of-this-world news? Brace yourself because scientists have now discovered planets that could potentially be even better for life than Earth!
There are 13 planets that made it to the list and if you’re looking for a new adventure to a different world, get ready to pack your bags and blast off to the most Earth-like planet yet discovered.
The first planet on our list is KOI 5715.01. This planet is located about 3,000 light years from Earth and has three key components necessary to support life. The planet is similar in size and composition to Earth and orbits a star just like our sun. Located in the habitable zone, its distance from the star is perfect for liquid water to exist, which is essential for life as we know it. Though it may be slightly colder than Earth, a greenhouse effect could raise its temperature to support life, and its larger size could allow for richer biodiversity.
Kepler-69c is another exciting exoplanet that NASA’s spacecraft discovered in 2013. It is 70% bigger than Earth and the smallest known exoplanet to orbit in the habitable zone. It is further from its star, but it’s not too hot or too cold for life to exist because it has an equilibrium temperature close to Earth’s. To be habitable, it would need some insulating atmosphere, but even with less atmosphere than Earth, it could still be a comfortable home for life.
And how about Speculos 2C with its funky schedule that takes 8.4 days to orbit its star? It is tidally locked, meaning one side always faces the star while the other remains in the dark. Despite its giant size that’s 30-40% radius larger than Earth’s, it’s located around 100 light years away from us in the constellation Aridness. Thanks to its position in the star’s habitable zone, it could have environmental conditions suitable for life.
But that’s not all! There’s also Kepler-1126b, which is a super Earth exoplanet orbiting a G-type star. With a mass 3.64 times that of Earth, it only takes 108.6 days to complete one orbit around its star. The planet is located at a distance of 0.1426 astronomical units from its star, which means it’s practically cuddling up to it.
Another noteworthy planet is Gliese 667CC, located within the habitable zone of Gliese 667, a triple star system approximately 23.62 light years away from the Scorpius constellation. With a radius of roughly 1.5 times that of Earth, it has an orbital period of just 28 days. Talk about a short year! Despite being quite far away, the planet’s just at the right distance to receive the perfect energy for liquid water to exist on its surface.
Lastly, we have Kepler-22b, an exoplanet located about 600 light years from Earth. This super Earth is located in the habitable zone, meaning its distance from its star is just right to allow liquid water to exist.
Exciting, right? These planets give us hope that there might be more life in the universe. So if you’re ready to leave behind your Earthly roots and explore new worlds, maybe one of these planets is your perfect destination. But until then, make sure to hit the subscribe button, like the video, and leave a comment below about which planet you find the most intriguing. Who knows, we may discover even more planets in the future that could be potential homes for life!
