Enchanted exoplanet search engines
2006/05/18 Galarraga Aiestaran, Ana - Elhuyar Zientzia
European astronomers have found a system similar to the solar system, not far from us (41 light years). They have detected it through the ESO telescope, thanks to the HARPS spectrograph.
The star of the system is not very large and is surrounded by three planets. These planets have between 10 and 19 times more mass than the Earth and, according to theoretical studies, it seems that the closest to the star is that of rock, like the Earth. The intermediate, for its part, is formed by gases and rocks and the exterior by rock and ice.
In addition, it seems that this planet that orbits the outside of the system is in the area where life is possible. It seems that, by the distance to its sun, there can be liquid water in it. And this option always disturbs astronomers, or at least some of them. They believe that if there is water there can be life. Once again, although this planet is not similar to Earth, they have already begun to issue this kind of hypothesis.
On the other hand, the entire system has another similarity with the Solar System, which as can be seen in the upper drawing, has an asteroid belt. Do you have any other similarity? Astronomers will continue to investigate.
