A New Planet Has Been Discovered... And It's Called 'Ross'

Could it support life?


Article heading image for A New Planet Has Been Discovered... And It's Called 'Ross'

There's Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars... and Ross 128B?

That is the name scientists have given to a newly discovered exoplanet found in our solar system and experts are saying it could one day support life!

Ross 128B is roughly the same size as Earth, its nice and warm, its parent star is stable and it's practically next door, just 11-light years away and reportedly getting closer. In 79,000 years they reckon it'll be our closest planet neighbour.

The European Southern Observatory are now studying the planet extensively, using scattered photons of light coming from its direction to determine what its atmosphere is like.

Ross isn't the first Earth-size exoplanet that has been discovered, with the TRAPPIST planets and Proxima B located in recent years that are also considered to be among our best hopes for supporting life outside out solar system.

Post
Amy Drew

16 November 2017

Article by:

Amy Drew




Listen Live!

Up Next