Scientists’ insatiable search for finding another
planet that could support human life has just got a leg up following the
discovery of two Earth-like alien worlds. Both the spatial bodies have a mass
similar to that of Earth and have been found in the habitable zone of a star so
far known as GJ 1002. The star is one of the dwarf stars referred to as M
dwarfs, which are stars that have only a fraction of the Sun’s mass and
luminosity.
The discovery was made by scientists working at the
Instituto de AstrofĂsica de Canarias (IAC) in Spain. Astrophysicist Vera MarĂa
Passenger explained to Science Alert that GJ 1002 was a “dwarf” star with a
mass only one-eighth that of the Sun. “It is quite a cool, faint star. This
means that its habitability zone is very close to the star.”
A star’s habitability zone is the area around a star
where liquid water can exist on planets orbiting that star. The zone is neither
too cold nor too hot for life. The two newly discovered planets are relatively
closer to Earth than other similar discoveries, existing only 16 light years
away.
In comparison, TOI 700, another potentially
habitable Earth-like world discovered by NASA, is just over 100 light-years
away in the southern constellation Dorado.
However, scientists are yet to ascertain if the
worlds actually have running water or an atmosphere suitable for supporting
life. Astronomers have named the worlds GJ 1002b and GJ 1002c. The 1002b is
closer to the star and takes 10 days to complete the orbit, while the 1002c
takes longer at 20 days.
The discovery was made using two space-gazing
instruments – ESPRESSO (Echelle SPectrograph for Rocky Exoplanets and Stable
Spectroscopic Observations) and CARMENES (Calar Alto high-Resolution search for
M dwarfs with Exoearths with Near-infrared and optical Echelle Spectrographs).
The search for exo-planets that have traces of alien
life or sources of energy like water and warmth has been underway for quite
some time now, and advancements in space study technologies are making discoveries
of potentially habitable planets ever more common. The addition of James Webb
to the space exploration arsenal has been a major win for astronomers, with its
findings offering new insights into how the universe operates.
Scientists
contend that studying the universe is needed not only to know more about the
unknown world that is out there, but knowledge gained from the research is
necessary for understanding ourselves more and where our planet and the solar
system exist in the larger scheme of things.
The relative proximity of GJ 1002b and GJ 1002c will
help scientists study the world in detail in the future. Researchers say they
plan to study the atmospheres of the two masses based on either “the light they
reflect or the heat they” emit. With technological advancements moving at the
speed of light, the distance at which potentially habitable planets are being
discovered is getting shorter and shorter. Soon, we could be setting our eyes
on an exo-planet that might have been sitting right next to our solar system
all along, hiding in plain sight since ever.
Now that would be a real revelation!
Reference:sciencealert
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