With Earth’s resources depleting rapidly, investing in another planet might soon become a necessity. Scientists have recently identified a potentially habitable planet located about 100 light-years away, sparking excitement within the astronomical community. Remarkably, it is estimated that the average lifespan on this planet could reach around 3,158 years.
The planet, named LP890-9b (also known as TOI-4306b), was discovered orbiting the star TOI-4306 by Laetitia Delrez and her research team. For context, this star is roughly 6.5 times smaller than our Sun and about half as hot. LP890-9b is approximately 30% larger than Earth and completes a full orbit around its star in just 2.7 days.
According to the 2021 census report, the current average life expectancy on Earth is about 73.5 years. However, because this newly discovered planet completes an orbit around its star in just 2.7 days, scientists estimate that life there could span nearly 9,943 years—imagine living that long! The planet was initially detected by NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), a space mission dedicated to finding exoplanets, which are planets located outside our solar system that could potentially support life.
Following the initial discovery, the existence of the planet was confirmed using the SPECULOOS (Search for habitable Planets EClipsing Ultra-cOOl Stars) telescopes, a sophisticated network managed by the University of Liège. Thanks to the advanced capabilities of these telescopes, astronomers also identified a second planet in the system, named SPECULOOS-2c.
Exoplanet Discovery: A New Candidate for Habitability
The second potentially habitable planet discovered in this system is slightly larger than the first and has an orbital period of 8.5 days. For an average adult human, this would translate to a life expectancy of around 3,158 years. Interestingly, despite its close proximity to its star—comparable to Mercury’s distance from the Sun—this planet could still be a viable candidate for habitability due to the nature of its “cool” star.
Francisco J. Pozuelos, one of the lead researchers, explained, “Although this planet orbits very close to its star—about ten times closer than Mercury is to the Sun—the amount of stellar radiation it receives remains low enough to potentially allow liquid water on its surface, assuming it has a sufficient atmosphere. This is because the star LP 890-9 is roughly 6.5 times smaller than the Sun and has a surface temperature about half that of our star. That’s why LP 890-9c, despite its close orbit, could still have conditions suitable for life.”
Researchers from the University of Bern and the National Centre of Competence in Research conducted this study. While the inner planet in the system may be too hot to sustain liquid water and thus inhospitable, the second planet appears to be perfectly habitable. According to Dr. Robert Wells, “This second planet receives about the same amount of stellar radiation as Earth does from the Sun and could therefore potentially support liquid water on its surface.” This finding is quite remarkable, as many exoplanets discovered so far are uninhabitable. For example, one planet found just last year had a scorching surface temperature of 2,700 degrees Celsius.
Space Travel Demands Innovation: Enter Elon Musk?
The scientist also stressed that simply identifying a potentially habitable planet isn’t enough. A wide range of further experiments and studies are necessary to determine if it’s truly suitable for something as simple as a summer vacation. Additionally, the enormous costs involved in sending spacecraft back and forth to such a distant planet must be carefully considered.
Dr. Wells cautions, “We shouldn’t get ahead of ourselves. Being in the so-called ‘habitable zone’ doesn’t guarantee a paradise like Palm Beach. Take our neighbor Venus, for example—a CO2-rich, nearly 500-degree Celsius pressure cooker—yet it lies within the Sun’s habitable zone. To truly understand whether this new planet can hold liquid surface water, we need more detailed observations, such as those possible with the James Webb Space Telescope.”
Also, just because this planet’s life expectancy is estimated at 3,158 years doesn’t mean we’d live that long in Earth years. Think of it like someone born on a leap year—while their birthday only comes once every four years, they still age normally in every other sense. That long lifespan would mostly be a calendar marker rather than a physical reality. Plus, since the planet orbits its star in just over a week, you’d have to plan your wardrobe carefully. Imagine pulling out your winter coat and mittens, only to be greeted by an intense, sunbathing heat!
Trending Right Now:
- He Cheated. She Laughed. I Served Them Both a Slideshow of Karma
- My Mother-in-Law Tried On My Wedding Dress and Destroyed It — So I Made Her Regret It Publicly
- What You Choose First Reveals a Hidden Truth About Your Personality
- 8 Shocking Health Benefits of Sleeping Naked – You’ll Wish You Knew Sooner
- Wonderful Story: My Wife Was Sleeping Next To Me.
Leave a Comment