Type
Publication
Science
The diagram compares the planets of our inner solar system to Kepler-186, a five-planet star system about 500 light-years from Earth in the constellation Cygnus. The five planets of Kepler-186 orbit an M dwarf, a star that is is half the size and mass of the sun. The Kepler-186 system is home to Kepler-186f, the first validated Earth-size planet orbiting a distant star in the habitable zone – a range of distance from a star where liquid water might pool on the planet's surface. The discovery of Kepler-186f confirms that Earth-size planets exist in the habitable zones of other stars and signals a significant step toward finding a world similar to Earth. Credit: NASA Ames/SETI Institute/JPL-Caltech
Press Coverage
- NASA's Kepler Discovers First Earth-Size Planet In The 'Habitable Zone' of Another Star: NASA press release, April 17, 2014
- First Earth-Size Planet Is Discovered in Another Star's "Habitable Zone": Penn State press release, April 17, 2014
- Penn State has hand in discovery of most Earth-like planet yet: Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, April 17, 2014
- First discovery of an Earth-sized planet in the habitable zone: Astronomy Magazine, April 17, 2014
- Earth-sized planet found orbiting in a habitable zone: LA Times, April 17, 2014
- Earth-sized planet found in stars habitable zone: Science News, April 17, 2014
- First potentially habitable Earth-sized planet confirmed: It may have liquid water: Phys.Org, April 17, 2014
- 5 Things to Know About Alien Planet Kepler-186f, 'Earth's Cousin': Space.com, April 18, 2014
- Spotting Earth's Cousin in the Cosmos: NPR Science Friday, April 18, 2014
- Links to more stories on this paper.