What is a super-Earth?Those masses are in the Earth's 25 to 10 times, radius in 1Planets between 2 and 2 times are considered super-Earths.
They don't all necessarily have rocky surfaces and atmospheres like Earth, some may be oceanic planets, and some may be gaseous planets.
There are also some terrestrial planets in the super-Earth, that is, their surface conditions are similar to those of the Earth, which is conducive to the existence and development of life. In short, the super-Earth is a planet selected by scientists to have the conditions for life, and it can also be regarded as the target planet for future human space exploration and interstellar migration.
So far, scientists have discovered hundreds of super-Earths, some of which are very close to us, others that are incredibly far away. One of the most striking is Kepler-22b, which is located in the constellation Cygnus, 632 light-years from Earth. It is 2 times the size of the Earth4 times, orbiting a sun-like star.
Its orbit is very close to its parent star, only 15% of the Earth to the Sun. However, because the parent star is less bright than the Sun, the surface temperature of Kepler-22b is estimated to be around 22 degrees Celsius, which is ideal for the presence of water.
Kepler-22b was discovered by NASA's Kepler Space Telescope in December 2011 and is the first super-Earth to be confirmed to be located in the habitable zone. The habitable zone is those areas that are moderately close to the star, neither too hot nor too cold, and where liquid water is likely to be present.
Liquid water is considered a necessary condition for life because it can act as a solvent for life, participate in the chemical reactions of life, regulate the temperature of life, and transport substances for life.
When the discovery of Kepler-22b was announced, people were full of imagination and anticipation for this planet. Some have depicted its beautiful landscapes, others have imagined its strange creatures, others have fantasized about its future civilization....However, to truly understand the planet, we need more observations and research.
You know, Kepler-22b is 632 light-years away from us, which means that it will take 632 years for light to travel from there to Earth. If we use the fastest spacecraft at the moment, Voyager 1, its speed is 620,000 kilometers, then it will take us more than 10 million years to get there. Even if we could invent a faster way to fly faster than the speed of light, we wouldn't know if there really was life there, or if it would fit for human survival.
However, this does not mean that we should abandon the exploration of Kepler-22B. On the contrary, it is what fuels our curiosity about the universe and the spirit of exploration. In the night sky, there are countless planets waiting to be discovered, among which there may be many super-Earths like Kepler-22b, and some may even be closer to Earth and more suitable for life than it.
In search of these planets, scientists are constantly improving and innovating their observation methods and instruments. They use a variety of methods, such as radial velocity, transit, microgravitational lensing, direct imaging, etc., to detect and analyze planets that are hidden behind stars.
They were asked, "What is the point of these planets being so far away from us?"They replied firmly: "These planets are part of our knowledge and understanding of the universe, they let us know that we are not alone, they let us see our possibilities and potential, and they give us the purpose and motivation to explore and create." ”
As they expected, as science and technology advanced and the scope of observation expanded, they discovered more and more super-Earths, some of which are closer to us, some of which are more suitable for the environment, and some of which even have evidence of the presence of life. It's like we've lifted the veil and seen the universe as it is. What an amazing and awe-inspiring sight!
One of the most exciting examples is GJ 367B, a rocky planet that bears a striking resemblance to Earth, which is only 30 light-years away and is one of the closest known super-Earths to Earth. Its size is 1 of the Earth's6 times, 3 times the mass of the Earth, orbiting a red dwarf star with an orbital period of 17 days. Its surface temperature is estimated to be between -50 degrees Celsius and -40 degrees Celsius, and there is a possibility of liquid water.
It also has a thick atmosphere, which has the potential to protect the surface from cosmic radiation and stellar winds. When humanity has the ability to truly explore the planet, we will discover a whole new world, perhaps with life forms we have never seen before, perhaps with natural wonders we never thought possible, and perhaps with cultures and histories that we have never experienced before.
What would that look like?A giant starship travels through the darkness of space, slowly approaching the blue-green planet. Inside the cabin, the explorers excitedly prepared the equipment for the landing and looked forward to the upcoming adventure.
When their ship lands on the surface of GJ 367B, they will be the first humans to set foot on the planet. They will use their eyes, their hands, and their hearts to feel everything that this new world has to offer.
They will see a different but similar sight to the Earth. They will see a blue sky, but there will be no white clouds, only the red glow of the parent star. They will see a green land, but there are no flowers and trees, only some strange plants.
They will see a clear ocean, but no waves, just a few colorful creatures. They will use their instruments, their technology, their wisdom to explore the mysteries of this new world. They will use their probes to measure the planet's physical parameters such as temperature, pressure, humidity, magnetic field, gravity, etc.
And on the distant Earth, everyone is watching this new world that is being born. NASA publishes every discovery, every progress, every achievement of an explorer in real time.
The children eagerly await their "immigration application" – at what age they will qualify for explorer status in the lottery. Of course, because we are still far away, it will still take a long, long time to witness that moment...But the future will come.
In the long journey, each step is closer to the unknown new world. And at that new starting point, what kind of civilization will be born?