Seven Earth-Like Exoplanets Discovered Outside Our Solar System; Could This Answer The Question ‘Are We Alone In The Universe?’
National Aeronautics and Space Administration, or commonly referred to as NASA, has announced the discovery of seven Earth-like exoplanets that are outside the solar system. Some of these discovered planets, as what astronomers believe, could potentially have a liquid surface, much like on Earth.
The seven Earth-like exoplanets were discovered orbiting the massive dwarf star called TRAPPIST-1, as reported by CNN. These planets, unfortunately, have not been named yet but they are currently being referred to as TRAPPIST-1b, c, d, e, f, g, and h.
Interestingly enough, three of these seven Earth-like exoplanets are in the habitable zone, which is also sometimes referred to as the "Goldilocks Zone," the right distance where liquid water could exist, Fox news reported. The exoplanets that are in the habitable zone are TRAPPIST-1e, f, and g.
"This discovery could be a significant piece of the puzzle of finding habitable environments, places that are conducive to life," associate administrator of the agency's Science Mission Directorate in Washington, Thomas Zurbuchen, said. Further noting that this finding is a huge step forward towards answering the age-old question: "Are we alone?"
There is, unfortunately, no way to confirm at the moment whether or not the three of the seven Earth-like exoplanets discovered could support life. But astronomers are currently waiting for the launch of NASA's James Webb Space Telescope that could examine the exoplanets' atmospheric composition and climate. The launch, as relayed by ABC, is expected to happen in 2018.
The telescope has the capability to detect molecules on the three of the seven Earth-like exoplanets, mainly water, methane, ozone, and oxygen, the reported continued. This could help scientists determine whether TRAPPIST-1e, f, and g are habitable enough for life to exist and evolve.
Unfortunately, even if that's the case, it could still take a lot of years before the telescope could reach its destination. The seven Earth-like exoplanets, according to NASA, are located at about 40 lights-years away from planet Earth, which is around 235 trillion miles.
