After NASA's exciting discovery of Kepler-452b, what scientists are calling Earth 2.0, the world wants to know just how similar is it to our home planet.
NASA has referred to the planet as Earth's bigger and older cousin. "We can think of Kepler-452b as an older, bigger cousin to Earth, providing an opportunity to understand and reflect upon Earth’s evolving environment," said Jon Jenkins, in a press release, who is the Kepler data analysis lead at NASA's Ames Research Centre in Moffett Field, California, who led the team that discovered Kepler-452b.
"It’s awe-inspiring to consider that this planet has spent 6 billion years in the habitable zone of its star; longer than Earth. That’s substantial opportunity for life to arise, should all the necessary ingredients and conditions for life exist on this planet,” he added.
Dr Suzanne Aigrain, from the University of Oxford told BBC she beleives the "properties described for Kepler-452b are the most Earth-like".
Artist’s conception of a planetary lineup shows habitable-zone planets with similarities to Earth: from left, Kepler-22b, Kepler-69c, the just announced Kepler-452b, Kepler-62f and Kepler-186f. Last in line is Earth itself. Credits: NASA/Ames/JPL-Caltech
So just how similar are the two planets?
- Both planets orbit a G2-type star of about the same temperature
- It orbits at a similar distance from its star to Earth
- Its 385-day orbit is only 5% longer as it is farther from its parent star Kepler-452 than Earth is from the Sun
- Because it has a similar orbit to Earth, it could potentially have liquid water or ice
- As the sunshine from its star is very similar to the sunshine from Earth's, plants will photosynthesise just like on Earth
- Scientists believe Kepler-452b is likely rocky because of its age, meaning humans could be able to walk on it
Credit: NASA Ames/JPL-CalTech/R. Hurt
While we have alot more questions than answers, scientists have alot more to learn about the distant cousin that is more than 1,400 light years in the constellation Cygnus. However, it seems with what we do know, we might not be alone after all. Who knows, maybe we might have relatives to meet in the constellation far, far away.
Watch: NASA’s Kepler Mission Discovers Earth's older cousin
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