SUPER EARTH - NASA UNCOVERS A NEW HABITAT
- nithya k
- Aug 9, 2019
- 2 min read
"We're running out of space and the only places to go are other worlds.Its time to explore other solar systems.Spreading out may be the only thing that saves us from ourselves.I am convinced that humans need to leave Earth." -STEPHEN HAWKING
About thousands of astrophysicists are toiling to find a new planet which possess all the conditions and situations suitable for life forms.This is similar to that of a treasure hunting because it is hard to detect a one which satisfies each of the constrains.
The need for this research is created by the unpleasant human activities like pollution, deforestation etc.., making Earth ill-suited for living.As a consequence, we are now witnessing global warming, melting of glaciers, extinction of species and so on.The problem creators have to find a solution.
This being the case, the Cornell university astrophysicists along with the help of NASA's TESS(Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite) which is an advanced satellite, have discovered a new neighboring solar star system, named GJ 357.
"The center most star in GJ 357 family is about one third yet 40 times colder than our sun.It is found hidden inside "The Hydra Constellation" that is 31 light years away from the Earth", say scientists.
This star family consists of three planets of which the third one possesses the warmth fit for the life forms.It is named as "GJ 357 d", about 22% bigger than Earth and receives same amount of heat as Mars gets from sun", says one of the scientists Diana Kosakoski.
More significantly, it is the nearest planet discovered so far that is apt for survival and the scientists have given a name "SUPER EARTH".
This discovery is appreciable though it can't give us permanent solutions.Hence, Neil Tyson, the American astrophysicist says, "If we have the power to turn another planet into Earth, then we have the power to turn Earth back into Earth."
-K. Nithya
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