New Discovery

Scientists are thrilled to announce the discovery of a new planet, which may be able to support life! According to CNN, astronomers European Southern Observatory, using a High Accuracy Radial velocity Planet Searcher, found the planet, which has been named Ross 128 b.

This is unlike any normal discovery because this planet, only 11 light years away, resembles the qualities required to support life. Ross 128 b is about the same size as Earth, and shares a similar surface temperature, which is something very uncommon in new planet discoveries. Every 9.9 days, this planet completes an orbit around a red dwarf star, which are the coolest, weakest, and the most frequent stars found. The low temperature of this star, allows for Ross 128 b to portray a cooler temperature.

Astronomers believe that Ross 128 b is a great candidate for further exoplanet study.  In approximately 79,000 years, Ross 128 b will be right outside our solar system, making it easy to access for research and further investigation on its ability to support life. Senior, Lauren Banks, says, “It’s crazy to think about how thousands of years from now, we may be living on a whole new planet!” This may seem like a long time away, but compared to the life span of the Earth itself, it's only a blip on the radar.