Scientists have identified 45 rocky exoplanets as the best candidates for hosting life, narrowing down a catalog of over 6,000 extrasolar worlds. These planets, no larger than twice the size of Earth, orbit within the habitable zone of their stars, the region where liquid water could exist on the surface.

Objective: Habitability

The list includes four planets orbiting the red dwarf TRAPPIST-1, about 40 light years away, and Proxima Centauri b, the closest known exoplanet, just four light years from Earth. The research, led by Abigail Bohl of Cornell University, aims to characterize rocky exoplanets in the habitable zone to assess the limits of surface habitability. Observations of these planets will help define search strategies with space- and ground-based telescopes, and design new instruments to explore these worlds.

Key Parameters

The study considers parameters such as age, orbital characteristics, radiation exposure, and ease of observation from Earth. This approach allows testing specific factors that influence habitability, such as the age of the planet. Comparing planets at the edges of the habitable zone with those in the center could reveal whether there are similar limits to habitability compared to our solar system, where Venus and Mars are at the edges, while Earth is in the ideal zone.