Scientists of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration have announced the discovery of 715 new planets in the galaxy.
The 715 new planets were verified by NASA’s Kepler mission by observing 305 stars using the planet-seeking Kepler telescope.
According to a statement released on NASA’s website, www.nasa.gov, on Wednesday, nearly 95 per cent of the planets are smaller than neptune, which is almost four times the size of earth.
It stated that the discovery marked a significant increase in the number of known small-sized planets more akin to earth than previously identified exoplanets, which are planets outside our solar system.
It quoted associate administrator for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington, John Grunsfeld, as saying, “These new planets and solar systems look somewhat like our own, portend a great future when we have the James Webb Space Telescope in space to characterise the new worlds.”
NASA also stated that four of the new planets were less than 2.5 times the size of earth and orbit in their sun’s habitable zone, defined as the range of distance from a star where the surface temperature of an orbiting planet may be suitable for life-giving liquid water.
“One of these new habitable zone planets, called Kepler-296f, orbits a star half the size and five per cent as bright as our sun. Kepler-296f is twice the size of Earth, but scientists do not know whether the planet is a gaseous world, with a thick hydrogen-helium envelope, or it is a water world surrounded by a deep ocean.
“This latest discovery brings the confirmed count of planets outside our solar system to nearly 1,700. As we continue to reach toward the stars, each discovery brings us one step closer to a more accurate understanding of our place in the galaxy,” the statement read in part.
Launched in March 2009, Kepler is said to be the first NASA mission to find potentially habitable earth-size planets. Discoveries include more than 3,600 planet candidates, of which 961 have been verified as bona-fide worlds. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
Advertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
Thank you oooo NASA, but please how much is the transport fares? We wan go there oooooo, we are tired of Boko haram and Nigeria govt ineptitude oooo
ReplyDeletesince naija no wan beta na 2 run go there.
ReplyDelete