Earth's 'twin' discovered outside the Solar System

Scientists have just discovered a planet that is almost the same size as Earth and has the potential to harbor life.

ABC News quoted scientists at the European Southern Observatory saying they found an exoplanet called Ross 128 b. It is located 11 light years away from the Solar System.

However, this distance is getting smaller because Ross 128 b is moving and will be the closest star to Earth in 79,000 years.

Simulated image of Ross 128 b. Photo: European Southern Observatory.

Ross 128 b orbits a red dwarf star called Ross 128 every 9.9 days. The star has a cool climate and more than half the surface temperature of the Sun, leading scientists to believe that Ross 128 b could potentially harbor life.

"Many red dwarfs, including Proxima Centauri, typically emit ultraviolet or X-ray light, making planets orbiting them uninhabitable. However, Ross 128 is not like that," said scientists from the European Southern Observatory.

To conclude about life on Ross 128 b, experts need to deploy a series of experiments in the future. In the immediate future, they will use a super-large telescope to observe the atmosphere of this planet.

Temperature is just one of many factors that determine the habitability of a planet. Geology, atmosphere, and water capacity are also important factors.

Previously, in February, NASA announced a shocking discovery when it said it found at least 7 planets the size of Earth and 40 light years away.

Exoplanets are scientists' biggest hope in searching for signs of life beyond Earth. They are particularly interested in planets that are similar in distance to their star as the Earth is to the Sun.

According to Zing