New planet discovered 2019
You're referring to the exciting discovery of a new planet in 2019!
In 2019, astronomers announced the discovery of a new exoplanet, which is a planet that orbits a star outside of our solar system. The new planet, named K2-18b, was discovered using the Kepler space telescope and the Hubble Space Telescope.
Here are some key facts about K2-18b:
- Location: K2-18b orbits a small, cool star called K2-18, which is located about 111 light-years from Earth in the constellation Leo.
- Size: K2-18b is a super-Earth, meaning it's larger than our own Earth but smaller than the gas giants in our solar system. It has a radius about 2.7 times larger than Earth's.
- Composition: Scientists believe that K2-18b is likely a rocky planet with a thick atmosphere, possibly containing water vapor and other gases.
- Temperature: The surface temperature of K2-18b is estimated to be around -100°C to -50°C (-148°F to -58°F), making it a very cold world.
- Habitability: While K2-18b is not considered a "habitable" planet in the classical sense, meaning it's not suitable for human life, it's still an interesting discovery because it could potentially harbor life in the form of microorganisms.
The discovery of K2-18b was announced in August 2019 by a team of scientists from the University of Cambridge and the University of Oxford. The finding was published in the journal Nature Astronomy.
This discovery is significant because it expands our understanding of the diversity of planets in the universe and could potentially lead to further research on the possibility of life beyond Earth.