Around a fifth of the Sun-like stars in the Milky Way are orbited by Earth-sized planets capable of sustaining life, suggests a study of data obtained by NASA’s Kepler spacecraft and the W. M. Keck Observatory. Those planets — between Earth-sized and twice as large — are orbiting their stars in the so-called habitable zone — that is, the range of orbits that would permit liquid water to exist on the surface. An estimated 22 percent of Sun-like stars in our galaxy are host to such planets.
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Kepler's Search for Life: Cosmic Haystack Just Got a Lot Bigger
Posted by: Kris Holt November 5, 2013 04:12 PMAround a fifth of the Sun-like stars in the Milky Way are orbited by Earth-sized planets capable of sustaining life, suggests a study of data obtained by NASA’s Kepler spacecraft and the W. M. Keck Observatory. Those planets — between Earth-sized and twice as large — are orbiting their stars in the so-called habitable zone — that is, the range of orbits that would permit liquid water to exist on the surface. An estimated 22 percent of Sun-like stars in our galaxy are host to such planets.