The data that the Kepler telescope collects about the stars, suggest scientists on increasingly exciting conclusions about the surrounding space. The other day, a group of researchers from the California Technological University under the leadership of Wesley Traub made a loud statement. According to scientists, the analysis of scientific information collected by the telescope suggests that about 30% of stars comparable in size and mass with the Sun have at least one planet similar to the Earth located in the inhabited zone.
The sample included objects around stars that belong to spectral classes F, G and K, that is, they are similar to the sun. About 150 thousand were gained, 0.63% of which have in the planet system. Heavenly bodies with a mass of 0.1 to 10 earthly and a radius of 0.5 to 2 earthly are selected as similar to the Earth.
Based on the results of processing the source data, the researchers found that medium -sized planets are almost evenly placed by both bright and dull stars. Smaller planets are more common in dim stars. Such a pattern prompted specialists to the idea that the sensitivity of the telescope may not be enough to detect small planets in bright stars, and in reality their number can be much higher.
According to the head of the study «The use of the displayed pattern on the planets with a longer period of circulation allows a high degree of probability to say that about 34% of FGK class stars has at least one land-like planet in the inhabited zone».
Whether the assumption of scientists is true, it will become clear when the telescope collects enough data on planets with the period of circulation exceeding 42 days. The most reliable about the results of the study can be said when the telescope observation period exceeds 1000 days.
Source:
- Space.com
Source:
- News.SoftPedia.com