Find the most Earth-like planet

A new planet discovered about 36 light years away is considered the most likely planet for life ever, if it has enough cloud around, information in National Geographic said.

The planet is called HD85512b, orbiting an orange dwarf star in the Vela constellation . Astronomers from the Southern European Observatory used the Telescope to detect high-speed HARPS radial velocity, located in Chile to detect the planet.

HARPS telescope data show that HD85512b is 3.6 times more massive than the Earth, belonging to the extraterrestrial planets that may contain the smallest life. According to scientists, planets more than 10 times the size of the Earth often have an atmosphere where hydrogen and helium make up the majority, not suitable for life. However, the atmosphere of the HD85512b-sized planets usually contains most of the nitrogen and oxygen, similar to the Earth's atmosphere.

Computer model of an outer space planet like Earth. (Photo: L. Calçada, ESO)

Furthermore, the new planet orbits a host star at a distance just enough to survive liquid water on the planet's surface, a dark feature essential for life." This is precisely the limit for allowing liquid water to exist ," said lead researcher Lisa Kaltenegger of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics and the Max Planck Astronomical Institute. ' If you put it in the solar system for comparison, the distance of HD85512b reaches the Sun a little further than Venus' , at this distance, the planet is capable of receiving more solar energy than just the Left. Land a bit.

But in order to survive, at least 50% of the planet's sky must be covered by clouds , according to the team of scientists. Because the cloud cover will help to reflect sunlight into the universe, prevent it from being burned. If 50% of the planet is covered by clouds, water can exist in the liquid on the planet, and will provide a habitat similar to Earth.

On average, clouds cover 60% of the Earth. If a planet is completely 100% covered by clouds, the planet will become an ice-free wasteland, otherwise, if a cloudless planet will become desert without water, no priority. life.

Of course, whether or not the vapor cloud in HD85512b depends on the existence of the atmosphere similar to the Earth's atmosphere, what is currently not being detected in such distant planets with existing devices now on.

In 2010, scientists discovered the planet Gliese 581g , believed to be the most Earth-like planet to date, but later, many experts proved the opposite.