In our search for new planets in the universe, which has spanned roughly 30 years we have learned a lot. Certain stars are just more habitable for life! Sun like Stars are classified and Type G Stars; stars that are less massive and a bit cooler are Type K Stars and stars that are much dimmer and cooler are red Dwarfs. A stars habitable zone defines the region where liquid water and life can exist around a given star. For a larger star the region allows much more space that is habitable, while a smaller star has a smaller habitable zone. In addition, A M red dwarf can have a life span of up to 1oo billion years and a K dwarf will similarly have a life span of up to 45 billion years.
However, the amount of harmful radiation from different stars is estimated to be up to 500 times more intense for the habitable zone corresponding to a red dwarf star than a Type G Star like our sun, leaving some uncertainties in our estimation for the capability of life to thrive there. Being that a Type G Star's habitable zone is so close to it's parent star any planet there would be inflicted with great amounts of X-Ray and UV radiation from the star and being too close also means that planets would be stripped of water and baked until dry. Scientists are now less enthusiastic about the odds of finding life around Type M Red Dwarfs because of this. Also stars of different temperature emit different
A Type K Star may only have up to 25 times the amount of harmful radiation when compared to our sun. Red dwarfs actually make most of the Milky Ways Star Population with about 73% of stars being cooler red dwarfs. K dwarfs are estimated to make up about 13%.
Considering our sun a Type G Star has shown the ability to flourish on Earth, this is also a great place to start looking for life in the universe as well. Our own sun is actually about halfway through it's lifespan; whereas a Type K Star would typically survive four times longer than our sun increasing the odds that life could evolve there. Earth will likely be uninhabitable within the next 1 to 2 billion years as stars like our sun slowly over time grow hotter and expand. This effect would push earth closer to the inner edge of it's habitable zone; having adverse effects such as the burning off earth's atmospheres and oceans, leaving earth looking much more like mars in the future. At the end of the earth's life cycle it will swell up and become a red giant star and swallow the inner planets entirely. Realistically, while we still have a great many years.. someday mankind will have to move to the stars to survive.
According to mathematical estimates of longevity and habituality Type K Stars would be the next best place to look for life supporting habitable zones. These slightly cooler Type K Stars are also three times as populous in our own Milky Way Galaxy. More than 1,000 type stars lie within 100 light years of our own sun. Some of the most famous Type K stars found to host planets are Kepler-442, Tua Ceti, and Epsilon Eridani. The stars Tua Ceti and Epsilon Eridani were also targets of the 1950's Project Ozma which attempted to find radio transmissions from extraterrestrial civilizations.
Kepler-442 is an extraordinary target because of it's K5V Star classification, being on the hot side of the K Spectrum it also hosts a solid rocky planets roughly two times the mass of Earth. Being one of Kepler's newly found super earths orbiting a Goldilocks Star perfect for life to evolve.
Kepler 442 also known as KIC 4138008 is located roughly 1200 light years away from Earth in the Constellation of Lyra, putting it beyond our immediate limitations for space travel. Discovered in The first Kepler mission this system is a gem because there are many complications to detect an earth sized planets via transit method.
If you would like to have a look for yourself follow these instructions to view Kepler 442 in the night sky.
Download Google Earth Pro for desktop
Load the program
Enter Sky mode (click the saturn icon)
Follow this link and copy the J200 coordinates
19 01 27.979 +39 16 48.29
Plug in coordinates in search box and Enjoy!
You will land in the Constellation of Lyra right next to Vega.
Sample of Google Earth Pro Keyhole Data
No comments:
Post a Comment