- Newly discovered miniature star system is just 39 light years away from Earth and known as Trappist-1
- Six inner planets lie in a temperate zone where surface temperatures range from 0-100°C (32-212°F)
- Of these, at least three are thought to be capable of having oceans, increasing the likelihood of life
- No other star system known contains such a large number of Earth-sized and probably rocky planets
- We’ll know if life exists in a decade, but it is likely to take hundreds of thousands of years to reach the system
Astronomers may have found the solar system in which we’ll have our first contact with alien life.
Seven Earth-like planets have been discovered orbiting nearby dwarf star ‘Trappist-1’, and all of them could have water at their surface, one of the key components of life.
Three of the planets have such good conditions, that scientists say life may have already evolved on them.
Researchers claim that they will know whether or not there is life on any of the planets within a decade, and said ‘this is just the beginning.’
No other star system discovered before has been found to have such a large number of Earth-sized planets.
The planets likely have rocky compositions like Earth, are around the same size as our planet, and six have surface temperatures between 0-100°C (32-212°F).
This gives these planets, which sit 39 light years away from Earth, some of the vital atmospheric conditions needed to grow biological life.
Watch the announcement live below :
The Trappist-1 star, an ultra-cool dwarf, has seven Earth-size planets orbiting it. This graphic shows how the outer orbiting 1h is an icy planet, while inner orbiting 1b, 1c and 1d are likely to be hot and dry. Though the researchers claim that all seven planets could feasibly have water at their surface, it is planets 1e, 1f, and 1g that are most likely to have water oceans.
Read the full article at DailyMail, click here.
Source: DailyMail
