What are exoplanets and why is everyone looking for them?
With enviable regularity in recent years, NASA has convened press conferences at which they talk about the newly discovered planets somewhere beyond all imaginary limits. The Internet then rages for weeks from discussions of new planetary systems, and it is not always clear what is happening and why it is generally needed.
To partially understand the importance of searching for Earth-like planets, it is enough to know two facts: the Earth in the form in which we know and love it, will last at most another 1.75 billion years.
Provided that the calculations are more or less correct, and humanity will survive this entire period, after some, albeit an immensely long time, you will have to pack your bags and rent an apartment somewhere cooler and with a higher level of oxygen. This will happen due to thermonuclear reactions inside the Sun, which will increase its volume, and a hotter and larger Sun will shift the habitable zone somewhere towards Jupiter with Saturn.
Therefore, by the time it becomes completely unbearable to live here, it would be nice to have a couple of planets with similar conditions, where you can move inexpensively and open a network of MAFs selling shawarma in tubes there.
Important fact number two: since we only know life that came out of the water, we are looking for similar planets with liquid water and heat in the hope that some kind of unicellular amoeba has also emerged in the local water, which can evolve into a Facebook user over billions of years. And we are looking for her on exoplanets.
Strictly speaking, an exoplanet is generally any planet outside the solar system.
Therefore, modern telescopes are looking not only for exoplanets, which are hundreds of types and sizes (for comparison: the largest exoplanet is twice as wide as Jupiter), but also exoplanets in the so-called habitable zone. This is the area that takes into account the distance from the planet to the star in the system, the size of the star, type, intensity, in general, a set of factors under which liquid water can exist in the required range.
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For comparison: the zone of habitation in the solar system, relatively speaking, from the Earth to Mars. As you can see, it worked with the Earth, but Mars was a little unlucky. But water in liquid form was there before, so if I had a little more luck, it would be there now.
More than one telescope and more than one group of scientists are working on the search for exoplanets, and sometimes they find places that are previously most similar to Earth. Let's talk about them.
Proxima Centauri b
Proxima Centauri b was found back in 2000, but due to difficulties in finding minor planets, confirmation was obtained only in 2016. The wow effect is that this is the closest system to us and an exoplanet in principle - only 4.25 light years. Surely it will be the first planet where different research probes will go when they learn to travel long distances a little faster.
Presumably, there is water in liquid form, the New Year - every 11 days, and the mass is slightly larger than the earth. The short period of rotation around its star is due to the fact that the planet is 20 times closer to the local "sun" than the Earth, but the "sun" there is also a red dwarf, which means that it is smaller, weaker and less radioactive. There is a hypothesis that due to tidal forces, the planet is always turned to its star with only one side, so that on the dark side it will be possible to arrange non-stop raves.
TRAPPIST-1 star system
In early 2017, NASA also gathered journalists to tell about this find. Strictly speaking, the TRAPPIST-1 star system potentially contains not one, but seven terrestrial planets, three of which are in the "green zone". 4 more planets are outside of it - either too close or too far from the star.
Preliminary data suggests that it will finally be possible to stop complaining about too hot or too cold climate and choose the best option. The planets TRAPPIST-1 e, TRAPPIST-1 g, TRAPPIST-1 f, although they are included in the habitable zone, are located one after another and have different temperature regimes. Due to the close distance of the planets to each other (10 times less than between the Earth or the Moon), it will be possible to observe the views as in the best science fiction films, and in general, they say that because of the small distances, the chance of life on these planets higher than it was on Earth.
How to get there? 39 light-years towards the constellation Aquarius, and then find an ultra-cold red dwarf and a bunch of planets around. Only if you go by cosmotaxi - do not order "Uklon", they will look for a small star in Aquarius for another three light years.
Gliese 667 Cc
This planet is known for sure by fans of the Alien vs. Predator cross-universe. According to the history of the Weyland-Yutani Corporation (yes, the one that featured in the Alien films), in 2039, they first used atmospheric generator technology to create a human-friendly environment on the planet Gliese 667 Cc. This reference, made already in modern times, has a real basis. The exoplanet 667 Cc in the constellation Scorpio is a rather pleasant place with a temperature (according to various sources) from 0 to +5, a mass 3.7 times that of Earth and a red dwarf star, around which Gliese 667 Cc makes a full revolution in over 28 days.
It is believed that the planet receives 80% less light than the Earth, and, like many planets close to the red dwarf, it always has one side turned to its "sun". True, there are two more stars nearby, but they have their own systems.
There is nothing seemingly unusual in it, so if everything goes well, it will suit lovers of quiet and peaceful areas. By the way, fly not far - only 23.6 light years.
Kepler-452b
NASA held a press conference about Kepler-452b a little earlier - back in 2015, where they presented the planet, which is now called Earth 2.0. True, during that time Kepler-452b went from first place in terms of land-like quality to fourth, losing to the above candidates, but still remains in the top.
The planet orbits its star in 385 days, about 60% more than Earth and, according to scientists, weighs five times more. According to the same assumptions, the planet's gravity is twice as large, and Kepler-452b itself is quite rocky and with temperature variations from -13 to +15 degrees Celsius.
Unfortunately, the planet is 1400 light-years from our solar system, and most calculations about chemical composition and other metrics use mathematical models with observational data. For a more detailed study of this and other terrestrial planets, you need to wait for the launch of the James Webb telescope into orbit.
By the way, the fact is so-so: if intelligent beings with Kepler-452b now look at the Earth through their superpowerful telescope, they will see how the Avars fight with the Byzantines for gold back in 617. Maybe that's why no one wants to do business with us?
The pies are baked, Granny's branded burgers are made and hermetically packed, it is forbidden to bring smoothies on board, but it doesn't matter - you can take instant ones. Everything is ready, now you can board the Dragon version N spacecraft from the interplanetary transport company SpaceX and fly to see your grandchildren on one of the exoplanets.
Author: Alexandra Malevich