Kepler finds several exoplanets potentially like Earth
Posted: Fri, Apr 19, 2013, 2:26 PM ET (1826 GMT)
NASA's Kepler spacecraft has detected three "super-Earth" planets in the habitable zones of two stars, worlds scientists said Thursday are the most like the Earth found to date. Scientists analyzing data from Kepler found five planets orbiting a star designated Kepler-62, somewhat smaller and cooler than the Sun. Two of them, Kepler-62e and f, are located in the star's habitable zone; 62e is 60 percent larger than the Earth and on the zone's inner edge, while 62f is farther out and about 40 percent larger than the Earth. A third exoplanet, orbiting the more Sun-like star Kepler-69, is 70 percent larger than the Earth and is in an orbit like Venus. Scientists speculate that these worlds may be rocky and potentially have oceans, although there is no information about just how habitable these worlds actually are.
NASA's Kepler spacecraft has detected three "super-Earth" planets in the habitable zones of two stars, worlds scientists said Thursday are the most like the Earth found to date. Scientists analyzing data from Kepler found five planets orbiting a star designated Kepler-62, somewhat smaller and cooler than the Sun. Two of them, Kepler-62e and f, are located in the star's habitable zone; 62e is 60 percent larger than the Earth and on the zone's inner edge, while 62f is farther out and about 40 percent larger than the Earth. A third exoplanet, orbiting the more Sun-like star Kepler-69, is 70 percent larger than the Earth and is in an orbit like Venus. Scientists speculate that these worlds may be rocky and potentially have oceans, although there is no information about just how habitable these worlds actually are.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
Space Force picks 14 companies for GEO surveillance program
Posted: Sat, Apr 11 10:34 AM ET (1434 GMT) |
|
news links
|
|
Monday, April 20
Ovzon Launches Next-Generation Mobile Satellite Terminal – Ovzon T8
Ovzon — 5:39 am ET (0939 GMT) Musk’s SpaceX threatens to withhold mobile service from Australia
Australian Financial Review — 5:35 am ET (0935 GMT) Space Force looks to personnel growth to boost integrated testing approach
Aerospace America — 5:32 am ET (0932 GMT) Jeff Bezos’s rocket catches up with Elon Musk’s in space rivalry
The Daily Telegraph — 5:30 am ET (0930 GMT) Blue Origin Rocket Stumbles on First Commercial Mission
Wall Street Journal — 5:29 am ET (0929 GMT) |
