About 950 light years away exists a star resembling the sun, orbited by two earth-like planets.

The two planets, Kepler-20e and Kepler-20f, were discovered by the Kepler spacecraft, which was launched by NASA in 2009 primarily for the purpose of seeking planets. The telescope has provided evidence for dozens of planets similar to the earth in size, but Francois Fressin, of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, was the first to contribute a report supporting the claims.

Though the planets are consonant to earth in diameter, one being only 3 percent larger while the other is 10 percent smaller, they exist under temperatures far higher than ours: 1400 degrees and 800 degrees Fahrenheit. This heat implies that the planets do not support life similar to that of earth’s, but perhaps instead something of an unintelligent form, like bacteria or mold.

These discoveries prove that the Kepler is capable of uncovering planets similar to earth in mass, and are encouraging in the continued search for life on other planets.

About The Author

Erin Farnsworth is a Blast intern

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