NASA discovers seven Earth size planets

TIL Desk/National/New Delhi/ NASA announced a new system of Exoplanets, which are Earth-size, and could potentially hold life. These exoplanets are located outside of our solar system and orbit a star, which is why they are named so.

First: A system of seven planets in a system called TRAPPIST-1 is the highlight of this discovery.

Second: The star in TRAPPIST-1 is classified as an ultra-cool dwarf, which NASA points out is in contrast to our Sun.

Third: Unlike Earth, which rotates on its axis, the planets are “tidally locked to the star.” This means that one side of the planet has only day, and one side has only night.

Fourth: The planets are Earth-sized. “The seven wonders of TRAPPIST-1 are the first Earth-size planets that have been found orbiting this kind of star,” said Michael Gillon, lead author of the paper and the principal investigator of the TRAPPIST

Fifth: Scientists said they need to study the atmospheres before determining whether these rocky, terrestrial planets could support some sort of life.

Sixth: TRAPPIST-1 holds the record for the greatest number of habitable-zone planets found around a single star outside our solar system.