Kepler 22b

   The discovery of a new planet outside the solar system was announced on December 5, 2011. NASA announced it to be an Earth-like planet that could have the right temperature to support life and water. The temperature on the planet in 72 degrees, a nice spring day in the U.S.

  

   NASA has a space telescope, called Kepler that has been staring at a particular area in the sky, which contains over 100,000 stars. It has been looking for a dim in the stars brightness as something goes in front of it, called the transit method. If it does that successfully three times the NASA scientists believe that what is causing the dim in light is a planet.

This planet is 600 light years away, it would take 22 million years to reach it. Scientist cannot tell for sure weather it has a rocky surface, a gaseous planet or a liquidity world. Kepler 22b is located in the habitable zone. It orbits a star very similar to our sun. The planet’s years are even closet to yours, 290 days. Kepler 22b is twice the size of Earth but many people consider it as Earth’s solar twin.

   I think it is interesting that scientist found a planet that is similar to ours. I just hope they create technology that will allow them to send a robot or something to explore the new planet. One thing I would like to know is if its any life on that planet, if it were that would be exciting.