the Fact that continue to be discovered during new exoplanets, we have almost become accustomed: More than 4,000 are now confirmed, including numerous, in which at least the possibility that life-friendly conditions. And yet it is always fascinating when the discovery of a new system is announced: the one, because this stimulates in particular, in systems which have a certain Similarity to our solar system again and again to the dreams, the exploration of alien worlds, on the other, because the discovery of the stories themselves often resemble of difficult detective work.
Sibylle Anderl
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Both applies in particular also to a new planetary candidate, which has now been introduced by astronomers to René Heller from the Max-Planck-Institute for solar system research in the journal “Astronomy and Astrophysics”. The special feature of the planet, with almost double Erdgröße: Not only seems to be distance from the home to be the star exactly in the area of the “habitable Zone” that allows the existence of liquid water. In addition, his home star, our sun is very similar. Of the approximately 3140 light-years distant star Kepler-160 is almost as big and its surface is only about 300 degrees colder. The discovery of an earth-like planet that revolves around a sun-like star, is quite unusual. The most earth-like planet in the habitable Zone have been discovered in recent years orbiting stars red Dwarf.
KOI-456.04 how the new candidate is, in fact, easy-to. As the researchers describe in detail in your study, was this an elaborate statistical analysis of existing data from the Kepler space telescope is necessary. Was applied to the transit method: the search of temporary obscuration of the observed star’s light through the front of the star passing through the planet. For two planets orbiting the star on a relatively narrow paths had been, this method has been used successfully: Kepler-160 b, and c had been discovered in 2011 in this way. The re-statistical analysis of the data revealed three additional transit events with a period of 378 days.
this Signal from background sources instead of a planet, could be excluded with high probability. However, the calculated orbital period is dangerously close to a value that would indicate an artificial origin: The regular movement of the space telescope for alignment of its solar panels, causing signals, the falsely accused can be held for planetary transits. The researchers to quantify the probability for such a fault to 15 percent. This value is large enough to announce the discovery only under retention of Title, especially since the researchers are irregularities in the track could not lead to backward movement of the already known planets, Kepler-160 c on the new earth-like planet – but of a fourth exoplanet, Kepler-160 d, in the Interior of the system is postulated.