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Ever since the discovery of exoplanets far and wide into space, scientists are looking into the possibility of these distant planets being able to support life. It is with that possibility in mind that astronomers have decided to develop a kind of “decoder” to predict whether an exoplanet is capable of supporting life.
In the search for life beyond Earth, scientists at Cornell University in New York have developed a kind of climate decoder to predict or calculator the habitability of an exoplanet. This decoder could potentially narrow down which exoplanets would likely be able to support life, and the astronomers developed this decoder with the purpose of studying exoplanets based on their colors and host stars in mind. They also hope that large telescopes on the ground and the space telescopes can put this decoder to the test.
According to Jack Madden, who co-authored the study, they observed how the various planetary surfaces in the known habitable zones in various star systems could have an effect on the climate on distant exoplanets. “Reflected light on the surface of planets plays a significant role not only on the overall climate but also on the detectable spectra of Earth-like planets.”
The researchers tried to determine an exoplanet’s climate by noting the color of its surface as well as the light coming from its host star. They calculated that exoplanets with rocky surfaces or surfaces made of basalt would likely absorb heat and therefore, would be very hot. However, the presence of sand or clouds would mean that the planet can also cool down. An exoplanet that has some vegetation and a reddish K-star would likely be a cooler planet.
In other related news, scientists at NASA spotted something very unusual near the Sun. Footage recorded by the agency’s Solar Dynamics Observatory showed a mysterious dark object described to be as huge as gas giant Jupiter. This object appeared to be absorbing energy from the Sun, leading many people on the internet when the footage was shared, to call it a “Death Star” because of its appearance being similar to the space station from Star Wars.
Although it was referred to as such, scientists did not rule out the possibility of the theory. This was because, according to the scientists, the idea of using the sun’s energy to fuel a spacecraft was quite possible.
