• Question: do you think keplar 452b is habitable

    Asked by yass_its_sherry to Tom, COLFlight, Jon, Beth, Anne on 12 Oct 2015.
    • Photo: Columbus Flight Directors

      Columbus Flight Directors answered on 12 Oct 2015:

      Simon: Hi ComedyShortsGamer!
      Kepler-452b seems to be very similar to Earth in terms of size, distance from its parent star and the type of star – which is similar to our Sun so if water is present there and life as we know it is common in the universe there is a good chance that there is life.

      As far as i am aware we don’t know yet know the composition of its atmosphere. But with the next generation of “exo-planet” missions this should be possible to find out.

      If we detect Oxygen in significant quantities this would be a good indication that life is present!

      Lets see! What do you think?

    • Photo: Beth Healey

      Beth Healey answered on 15 Oct 2015:

      Hi ComedyShortsGamer!

      It certianly appears to share many of the charachteristics of earth and is orbiting in a similar ‘habitable zone’ like earth close to the sun. Its not clear yet if it is a ‘rocky’ exoplanet but looks likely!

      One of the biggest challenges for us though will be to reach it to find out! It is estimated that at its current speed the New Horizons spacecraft (going 37,oo0mph would take over 26 million years to arrive there!!!)

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