Published on April 27th, 2012 | by James Johnson
0Pack Up Because We’re Moving. Scientists Discover “Holy Grail” World
Scientists examining old data from the European Southern Observatory have discovered a world that is so similar to Earth that it may be ready for human habitation at this very moment.
Dubbed the “Holy Grail” planet, Gliese 667Cc orbits around a red dwarf which sits just 22 light years away with temperatures close to that of Earth. According to astronomers at the University of California and University Gottingen “It’s not on the edge. It is right in there.”
While Gliese 667Cc receives 10% less light than Earth, that light is infrared which means energy received on the planet should be roughly the same as it is on Earth. In other words if water exists on the planet it should be in liquid form.
The study also points out that while most planets circling a red dwarf are gas giants, Gliese 667Cc is solid and 4.5 times Earth’s mass.
Chances of finding a planet in the habitable zone are slim since that zone is just a narrow region around a star where it’s not too hot or too cold to support life.