'Second Earth' found, 20 light years away

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A European team of astronomers worked on a project at the Geneva Observatory in Switzerland to find habitable planets in Space like the Earth. They found one planet orbiting a star, a cool red dwarf called Gliese 581, and seem to have the perfect conditions for water, an essential ingredient for life.

The planet is one-and-a-half times the size of the Earth but orbits closer to its Sun, Gliese 581 and also orbits faster once every 13 days. Even thought it is closer to its star compared to the Earth, Gliese 581 is not as hot as our Sun, it has a temperature of 3,000C, half of the Sun. This will make it possible for life to thrive there. The measurements found this new planet, named Gliese 581C, may have surface temperatures between 0 and 40 degree C. They also think that this planet may have an atmosphere.

Stephane Udry, an astronomer in this group, thinks with these types of conditions, there may be life in this warm planet as well.

The same team found a Neptune sized planet orbiting Gliese 581, but when they studied the surroundings they were able to find this Earth like planet Gliese 581c. There is also another planet orbiting Gliese 581, which orbits once every 84 days.

I think this is an interesting discovery and hopefully mankind will be able to send satellites and rover-like machines to explore the planet. First we have to figure out how to visit our neighboring planets and how to sustain long periods of time in space without problems.