Super Earth has perfect climate for life

Research by American scientists shows that conditions on the planet Kepler-62f, 1,200 light years from Earth, are very favorable for life to develop.

Planet Kepler-62f is 1,200 light-years from Earth. Photo: NASA.

In a study published on May 13 in the journal Astrobiology, American scientists concluded that the planet named Kepler-62f meets all the conditions for life to develop. This planet is about 40% larger than Earth and is the outermost of five planets orbiting a smaller star with a lower temperature than the Sun. However, Kepler-62f is 1,200 light-years away from Earth, according to IFL Science.

When Kepler-62f wasKepler space telescopeSince its discovery, researchers know very little about the planet. The team at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) and Washington used computer simulations to calculate conditions on the planet's surface.

The sizes of the habitable planets, from left to right, are Kepler-69c, Kepler-62e, Kepler-62f, and Earth. Photo: NASA.

"We found multiple atmospheric components that could allow the planet to warm enough for liquid water to exist on its surface, making Kepler-62f a strong candidate for habitability," said Aomawa Shields, a postdoctoral fellow in astronomy and astrophysics at UCLA and lead author of the study.

The shape of the planet's orbit is the first factor that needs to be calculated. To do the calculation, the team applied a computer modelHNBodyfamous, combined with two other climate change models to simulate Kepler-62f's weather conditions as the planet orbits its parent star.

The models assume Kepler-62f's atmosphere is between one and 12 times thicker than Earth's. The team also considered varying concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere, ranging from Earth-like levels to 2,500 times higher.

Early Earth had a CO2-rich atmosphere due to long-term volcanic activity. Photo: IM_photo.

Based on our understanding of microbial life and the brightness of its host star, Kepler-62f would only be fully habitable if its atmosphere were 3-5 times thicker than Earth’s and completely filled with CO2. These conditions would ensure a greenhouse effect and warm the planet enough for microscopic life to emerge.

The model’s most likely parameters suggest that the planet is far enough from its star to allow CO2 to build up in the atmosphere over time. Even with CO2 levels similar to Earth’s, Kepler-62f’s temperature would still be above the level where water freezes for most of the year. If water, CO2, and photosynthetic life exist, these conditions could transform Kepler-62f’s atmosphere into a future reservoir of oxygen.

According to VNE