New planet found like earth
You're referring to the recent discovery of a potentially habitable exoplanet that's similar to Earth!
You're likely thinking of K2-18b, a super-Earth exoplanet that was discovered in 2015 by the Kepler space telescope. In 2020, a team of scientists announced that K2-18b might be a rocky world with a thick atmosphere, which could potentially support liquid water and life.
Here are some key facts about K2-18b:
- Location: K2-18b orbits a small, cool star called K2-18, which is about 111 light-years away from Earth in the constellation Leo.
- Size: K2-18b is a super-Earth, meaning it's larger than our own planet but smaller than the gas giants in our solar system. It's about 2.7 times the size of Earth.
- Atmosphere: Scientists believe that K2-18b has a thick atmosphere, which could be composed of gases like hydrogen, helium, and methane. This atmosphere might be capable of trapping heat and creating a habitable environment.
- Temperature: The surface temperature of K2-18b is estimated to be around -100°C to -50°C (-148°F to -58°F), which is much colder than Earth. However, the presence of a thick atmosphere could help regulate the temperature and make it more habitable.
- Water: K2-18b is thought to have a significant amount of water vapor in its atmosphere, which is a crucial ingredient for life as we know it.
- Habitability: While K2-18b is not an exact twin of Earth, it's considered a potentially habitable world due to its size, atmospheric composition, and presence of water. However, more research is needed to determine if the planet is actually capable of supporting life.
The discovery of K2-18b is an exciting development in the search for extraterrestrial life, and scientists are eager to learn more about this intriguing exoplanet.