The biggest astronomy news of the day is the discovery of Gliese 581g, a planet 20 light years away from us and very similar in size to our Earth. The planet, a member of Gliese 581′s family is present right in the middle of its system’s habitable region. The planet would not be too hot or too cold, and with a mass three times more than Earth, it will have an atmosphere. Gliese 581g is tidally locked to its sun, which means the planet always keeps the same “face” towards the sun, as the moon is for earth.
This would mean that the planet would have regions of extreme heat and of extreme cold, but the periphery of these regions can be habitable, with a very stable weather. The planet has been around for a long time, and astronomers believe that there are strong chances of finding life there. Current technology is however, insufficient to allow for studying of the planet’s atmosphere to look for chemical signs of life.
Via: Discovery
