Scientists have discovered another potentially habitable planet

KIEV. 17 Nov. UNN. Astronomers discovered in the constellation Virgo potentially habitable planet of Ross 128 b. It is located at the distance of only 11 light years from Earth, reports UNN with reference to The Guardian.

The size of the planet, according to the researchers, very close to the size of the Earth. Its mass is 1.35, the mass of the Earth. However it is located much closer to its star, the red dwarf Ross 128, than earth to the Sun.

On the planet of Ross 128 b year lasts just 9.9 days — during this time the planet makes a complete revolution around its orbit. Astronomers assume that the planet’s climate is quite moderate, surface temperature varies from — 60 to + 20 degrees Celsius. It makes possible the existence of the oceans and most importantly — life.

Ross 128 b, found researchers from the European southern Observatory (ESO) using the HARPS spectrograph (High Accuracy Radial velocity Planet Searcher) in Chile, designed specifically to search for exoplanets.

Discovered planet is not the closest to the Earth of the numbers of exoplanets, it is Proxima Centauri b in the alpha Centauri system, which is at a distance of 4.24 light years. However, Ross 128 b may be more suitable for development, if people ever try to send a space expedition, the researchers note.

As reported by UNN, in Google Maps has created a map of the Solar system.