NASA Has Discovered Seven “Earthlike” Planets Orbiting A Star Just 40 Light Years Away

They’re calling it a “holy grail” in the quest for earth-like planets suspected to have alien life. And NASA just revealed that it has found the strongest candidates that fit that description yet, right here in our solar neighbourhood.

NASA announced in a press conference just now that it’s Spitzer Space Telescope made the discovery of seven planets orbiting a super cool, dwarf star called TRAPPIST-1 which is just 40 light years away from where we are.

That’s not all. What’s amazing about this NASA discovery is that at least three out of the seven planets are claimed to be present in the goldilocks, habitable zone — the ideal distance away from the sun, just so that the planet’s surface isn’t too hot or cold, giving life the maximum possible chance of flourishing. Just like our earth sits at an ideal distance away from our sun — not too near, not too far, just right.

NASA said, “Around a nearby, cold, small star we found 7 rocky Earth-size planets, all of which could have liquid water – key to life as we know it.” This discovery is unprecedented in history, for never before have so many planets have been found at once, and that too orbiting a sun in the habitable zone. It’s unreal!

Scientists associated with the discovery are optimistic about one thing. Even if the seven or three newly discovered planets do not have life now, chances of life evolving on them are very high.

Facebook Conversation