Distant Planet with “Earth” like characteristics has been Confirmed
December 6th 2011 05:41
Category: extrasolar planets
This image is a visual conception of Kepler-22b
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Perched in a distant galaxy deep within the void of space lays a planet that has earth like characteristics.
A French astronomer earlier this year indicated the first rocky exoplanet to meet key requirements for harbouring life.
The planet named Kepler-22b is two and half times the size of our Earth.
Kepler-22b orbits a star some 600 light years away.
Astronomers have seen Kepler-22b transit its parent star on three occasions.
Planets like Kepler-22 are situated at the optimal distance from their star.
“The habitable” zone has the potential to support water, and a suitable temperature with an atmosphere perhaps the right conditions to support life.
We don’t know for certain wether life is present on Kepler-22 we know that the conditions are favourable for life to exists.
The planet's first "transit," (planet crossing in front of its sun), was captured shortly after NASA launched its Kepler spacecraft in March 2009.
The planet is a habitable zone located at an ideal distance form its sun astronomers are not certain if Kepler-22 has a rocky surface.
It could well be a liquid gaseous fluid or a mixture of the two.
NASA also announced that the Kepler space craft has observed 1094 objects, these objects may be more potential planets. The space craft will keep tacking these objects until at least 2012.
Kepler-22 orbits its Sun-like star every 290 days. Its surface temperature is estimated to be about 72 degrees Fahrenheit (22 Celsius).
The Kepler exploratory space craft is NASA's first attempted to specifically search for Earth-like planets orbiting suns similar to ours.
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