Scientists find three potentially habitable planets
Q. Scientists have discovered three planets orbiting a dwarf star at what distance, which are potentially habitable?- Published on 03 May 16a. 43 light years
b. 40 light years
c. 39 light years
d. 42 light years
ANSWER: 39 light years
A global team of scientists discovered a trio of Earth like planets to find life outside the solar system most likely. The study published in the journal Nature found that the three planets orbiting the ultra cool dwarf star 39 light years away are comparable in size and temperature to Venus and Earth.
- This marks the first time chemical traces of life have been found outside the solar system
- The three planets had a winning combination of being similar in size to earth, easily habitable and close enough for their atmosphere to be analysed
- Scientists calibrated a 60-centimetre telescope in Chile, known as TRAPPIST, to track several dozen dwarf stars that are neither big nor hot enough to be visible with optical telescopes.
- They zeroed in on a particularly promising one — now known as TRAPPIST-1 — about one eighth the size of the Sun, and significantly cooler.
- The innermost two circle their dwarf star every 1.5 and 2.4 days
