All Birds Wiki
Advertisement
Planet Kepler-22b

Artist's conception

Kepler-22b is an exoplanet located in the constellation Cygnus. It was first observed by the Kepler Telescope in February 2011; the discovery was subsequently confirmed and announced on December 5, 2011[1].

This planet is the most "Earth-like" to be discovered to date. Its radius is roughly 2.4 times that of the Earth, and it orbits its host star in the 'habitable zone', where liquid water can exist. However, its composition is not yet known[1]. If it does contain an ocean, it is possible that life could exist there.[2] The exact composition of the planet is uncertain, as only the size and not the density are known. The planet is thought to fall into the category of super-Earths. [1]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c BBC NEWS, "Kepler 22-b: Earth-like planet confirmed" 12/5/2011 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-16040655
  2. ^ "Planet in sweet spot of Goldilocks zone for life", ap.org 12/6/2011
Advertisement