A team of astronomers that includes the University of Hawaiʻi’ at Manoa’s Nader Haghighipour has announced the discovery of a planet that could have liquid water on its surface.
The planet, which is probably 30 percent larger than Earth, was discovered using one of the telescopes of the W. M. Keck Observatory on Mauna Kea. It orbits a relatively small star, Gliese 581, that is 20 light-years from Earth in the constellation Libra.
“By determining the orbit of this planet, we can deduce that its surface temperature is similar to that of Earth,” said Haghighipour. This means that at least some of any water on the surface of the planet and in its atmosphere will be in liquid form rather than ice or vapor. The discovery of liquid water in space is an important step in the search for extraterrestrial life.
To read the full, original article click on this link: Newly discovered planet may have water on its surface | Science Blog
