Alien ‘super-Earth’ may be launch pad to distant worlds
WASHINGTON: Scientists have spotted a planet orbiting a star relatively near our solar system that may offer a prime opportunity to study the atmosphere of a rocky Earth-like alien world – the type of research that could aid the hunt for extraterrestrial life.
The researchers said on Thursday that the planet, called Gliese 486 b and classified as a “super-Earth”, is not itself a promising candidate as a refuge for life. It is thought to be inhospitable – hot and dry like Venus, with possible rivers of lava flowing on its surface.
But its proximity to Earth and its physical traits make it well suited for a study of its atmosphere with the next generation of space-borne and ground-based telescopes, starting with the James Webb Space Telescope that Nasa has slated for an October launch.
These could give scientists data to decipher the atmospheres of other exoplanets – planets beyond our solar system – including ones that may host life.
“We say Gliese 486 b will be the Rosetta Stone of exoplanetology – at least for Earth-like planets,” said study co-author Jose Caballero of Centro de Astrobiología in Spain, referring to the ancient stone slab that helped experts to decipher Egyptian hieroglyphs.
Scientists are interested in looking at the combination of gases in the atmospheres of Earth-like exoplanets, with a mix of oxygen, carbon dioxide and methane like that of our own planet a potential indication of life.