NASA astronomers have discovered what appears to be the most Earth-like planet detected so far. His name, Kepler-186f .
The newly discovered planet is located about 500 light years from Earth, located within the so-called habitable zone of its star (Kepler 186, a red dwarf), at a distance that makes it neither too hot nor too cold for the presence of life .
The importance of this finding lies in its particular resemblance to our planet. Until now, the exoplanets discovered with the possibility of supporting life were excessively large , so knowing their composition was a complicated task. Thanks to the fact that this exoplanet is only 10% larger than Earth , scientists point out that Kepler-186f may be a rocky world similar to Venus, Earth or Mars, since “according to the theoretical models of planet formation , it is unlikely that those with diameters less than 1.5 times that of the Earth are enveloped in hydrogen and helium atmospheres ”, says Thomas Barclay, co-author of the work.
One of those responsible for the mission, Elisa Quintana, explains to the journal Science that "finding this type of planets is the primary objective of the Kepler space telescope ," dubbed the planet hunter.
