Have you ever wondered if there are other worlds out there that could support life like ours? Scientists have been on an exciting quest to find Earth-like exoplanets, planets that orbit stars other than our Sun. Thanks to advances in technology and the hard work of dedicated scientists, we've discovered thousands of exoplanets, and some of them might have the right conditions for life to exist.
In this blog post, we'll introduce you to 10 of the most promising Earth-like exoplanets discovered so far. These planets are similar in size, mass, and temperature to Earth and orbit within the habitable zone of their stars, where there's a chance for liquid water to exist. These planets are not only intriguing on their own but also offer us a glimpse into the diversity and potential of life beyond our planet.
1. Gliese 667Cc (Discovered in 2011)
This planet is about 4.5 times as heavy as Earth and orbits a red dwarf star named Gliese 667, which is 22 light-years away. It completes one orbit around its star in 28 days and could be in the right zone for liquid water and life.
Gliese 667Cc is one of three possibly habitable planets in the Gliese 667 system. Imagine standing on its surface and seeing two suns in the sky, a spectacular sight!
2. Kepler-22b (Discovered in 2011)
Kepler-22b is roughly 2.4 times the size of Earth and orbits a star similar to our Sun, but it's quite far away at about 600 light-years. We're not sure yet if it's made of rock, liquid, or gas.
Kepler-22b was the first planet discovered by NASA's Kepler mission in the habitable zone of a Sun-like star. It gets about the same amount of energy from its star as Earth does, making it a hopeful candidate for a moderate climate.
3. Kepler-69c (Discovered in 2013)
Kepler-69c is approximately 1.7 times the size of Earth and orbits a Sun-like star, but it's incredibly distant, at 2,700 light-years away. It might have an atmosphere similar to Venus.
Kepler-69c is one of two planets in the Kepler-69 system, which resembles our own solar system in terms of size and layout. However, it's much closer to its star than Earth is to the Sun, raising questions about its surface conditions and potential for life.
4. Kepler-62f (Discovered in 2013)
Kepler-62f is about 1.4 times the size of Earth and orbits a cooler star located 1,200 light-years away. It sits comfortably within the habitable zone, making it a top candidate for hosting life, possibly with a rocky surface or oceans.
Kepler-62f is part of a system with five planets around the star Kepler-62, which is a bit smaller and cooler than our Sun. Kepler-62f is the farthest planet from its star and receives about half as much sunlight as Earth does.
5. Kepler-186f (Discovered in 2014)
Kepler-186f is similar in size to Earth and orbits a red dwarf star located 500 light-years away. It's a significant find because it's the first Earth-sized planet discovered in the habitable zone of another star, hinting at a climate similar to Earth's.
Kepler-186f is the fifth and most distant planet in the Kepler-186 system, which has four other smaller planets that are too close to their star for habitation. Kepler-186f receives about one-third of the solar energy that Earth does, making it a bit colder.
6. Kepler-442b (Discovered in 2015)
Kepler-442b is about 1.3 times the size of Earth and orbits a cooler star situated 1,100 light-years away. There's a 60% chance it's made of rock and a 97% chance it's in the habitable zone, making it a promising target for further exploration.
Kepler-442b is one of three potentially habitable planets in the Kepler-442 system, which also includes Kepler-442c and Kepler-442d. Kepler-442b is the most Earth-like of the three, receiving about two-thirds of the solar energy that Earth does.
7. Kepler-452b (Discovered in 2015)
Kepler-452b is roughly 1.5 times the size of Earth and orbits a Sun-like star, though it's much farther away at around 1,400 light-years. It closely resembles our solar system, sparking interest in its potential for a rocky surface.
Kepler-452b is the first planet discovered by the Kepler mission that is both Earth-sized and in the habitable zone of a Sun-like star. It has a 385-day orbit, similar to Earth's, and receives about 10% more sunlight than our planet does.
8. Kepler-1649c (Discovered in 2017)
Kepler-1649c is slightly larger than Earth and orbits a red dwarf star 300 light-years away. It receives about 75% of Earth's sunlight and has a surface temperature somewhat similar to our planet.
Kepler-1649c is one of two planets found in the Kepler-1649 system, which also includes Kepler-1649b, a hot and inhospitable world. Kepler-1649c is the closest match to Earth in terms of size, sunlight, and temperature among the thousands of exoplanets found by the Kepler mission.
9. Proxima Centauri b (Discovered in 2016)
This planet, about 1.3 times the mass of Earth, orbits the nearest star to our Sun, Proxima Centauri, just 4.2 light-years away. It takes only 11 days to complete one orbit and might have liquid water.
Proxima Centauri b is the closest exoplanet to Earth and the only one that interstellar probes could potentially reach. But its suitability for life is uncertain because it may face intense solar flares and radiation from its host star.
10. TRAPPIST-1e (Discovered in 2017)
TRAPPIST-1e is smaller and lighter than Earth, with a size and mass about 90% of our planet's. It orbits a red dwarf star called TRAPPIST-1, located 40 light-years away, and shares characteristics with Earth, including its density and solar energy.
TRAPPIST-1e is one of seven Earth-sized planets in the TRAPPIST-1 system, the largest collection of potentially habitable worlds ever found around a single star. TRAPPIST-1e is the fourth planet from its star and receives about the same amount of sunlight as Earth does.
These exoplanets capture the imaginations of scientists worldwide because they hold the potential to offer profound insights into the possibility of life beyond our home planet. Ongoing research aims to uncover more about their atmospheres, compositions, and suitability for life.
We hope you enjoyed this blog post and learned something new about these amazing worlds. If you did, please share it with your friends and leave us a comment below. Don't forget to subscribe to our blog for more updates on exoplanets and other fascinating topics in astronomy.
References:
: [Gliese 667Cc: Super-Earth Exoplanet](https://www.space.com/23394-gliese-667cc.html)
: [Gliese 667 Cc - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gliese_667_Cc)
: [Kepler-22b: Facts About Exoplanet in Habitable Zone](https://www.space.com/24129-kepler-22b.html)
: [Gliese 667Cc image](http://ts1.mm.bing.net/th?id=OIP.GURnZicaENMLYBMZN9k1LwHaFS&pid=15.1)
: [Kepler-22b image](http://ts2.mm.bing.net/th?id=OIP.J0Zx0wXyQzXJqgYq8mMfjgHaEo&pid=15.1)
: [NASA's Kepler Mission Discovers Bigger, Older Cousin to Earth](https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-s-kepler-mission-discovers-bigger-older-cousin-to-earth