Humans have wondered
throughout history if there is life outside of Earth. Is it possible for it to
exist elsewhere? Could there really be planets hundreds and thousands of light
years away that have their own life forms on them? It is very difficult to
tell.
One of the first criteria
astronomers say a planet must meet is to be in the habitable zone (or, life
zone) of the star around which it orbits. This is a region that is determined
based on the size and temperature of the star, which would render the
temperature on the planet at a happy sort of medium. It would not be so hot
that everything would dry out and die, and it would not be so cold that it
would become a frozen world. Hundreds of planets have been discovered outside
of our own solar system, and some of them seem promising, but until now, there
has always been a margin of doubt. Most of the planets discovered either missed
the mark entirely or were situated just on the fringe of their life zone. A
study led by the private nonprofit research organization, the Carnegie Institution
for Science, happened to stumble across one particular planet that leaves no
doubt about its orbit. Meet GJ 667Cc.
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| CREDIT: Carnegie Institution for Science |
This particular planet has
been termed a “super-Earth” because it is about 4.5 times as massive as our
own planet. The gravity there would feel greatly multiplied compared to that on
Earth, but there is no doubt that this terrestrial planet is smack in the
middle of its habitable zone. It is situated relatively close by in the
constellation Scorpio, about 22 light-years away.
One other interesting fact
about the planet that is leaving astronomers puzzled is it is in orbit around
a triple star system, all of which are lacking heavier elements typical of
stars with their own solar systems. GJ 667Cc only orbits one of those stars,
but it would still be rather odd to see three in the sky, we think.
Information credit: SPACE.com
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