Seven New Earth-like Planets Have Been Discovered 40 Light Years Away, Scientist Speculate To Harbor Alien Life

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Finding signs of life outside the solar system was never been too exciting not until today. Scientists have just come across seven Earth-size planets orbiting a tiny star.

According to The New York Times, the planets are orbiting a dwarf star called Trappist-1 which is 40 light years or 235 trillion miles away from Earth. Scientists are now speculating that these planets may or could potentially harbor life.

"This is the first time that so many planets of this kind are found around the same star," Michael Gillon, an astronomer at the University of Liege in Belgium, said during a telephone news conference. "Based on the distance of the planets from the dwarf star, this new system could be the right temperature to be overflowing in oceans of water."

The James Webb Space Telescope that is set to launch next year, will peer at the infrared wavelengths of light which will also help in studying Trappist-1. Telescopes from the ground and telescope in orbit, like the Hubble Space Telescope, will add to the details of the new find. These includes molecules in the planetary atmospheres.

The search for life in other planets are now imminent starting with the Trappist-1. "For the first time ever, we don't have to speculate. We just have to wait and then make very careful observations and see what is in the atmospheres of the Trappist-1 planets." Sara Seager, an astronomer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, said.

Per CNN, the seven planets are so close to each other with space five times smaller than the distance from Mercury to the Sun. Scientist and researchers may not have a hard time studying these planets since its proximity will allow them to explore in depth and gain insights about planetary systems other than our own.

From the recent findings of these planets, surface lighting is 200 times less than that from the sun. But, it can still be warm since the star is so close. The nearest planet to the dwarf completes its orbit in just 1.5 days and the farthest planet in 20 days.

"This is a form of a very compact system," said Michael Gillon, the leader of an international team that has been observing Trappist-1. "The planets being pulled close to each other and are very close to the star," Gillon added.

Trappist-1 is just a bit larger than the Jupiter. But with its red and dim radiance, this tiny ultracool dwarf star somehow captures the eyes of the astronomers.

Planets are gravitationally locked to the star, exposing only one side facing the star perpetually as well as the other half with darkness. This would mean one side is warmer but the atmosphere would distribute the heat. This would be insurmountable to life.

However, if oxygen revealed in the planet's atmosphere, it could point to the photosynthesis of plants. Oxygen together with methane, ozone and carbon dioxide in certain portions, 'this would tell us that there is life with 99 percent confidence." Michael Gillon said.