The new ‘Earth-like’ exoplanet Kepler-1649c has been found! Scientists analyze whether it can sustain life

The exoplanet named Kepler-1649c surrounds a red dwarf star that is 300 light-years away from Earth. (Image credit: NASA / Ames Research Center / Daniel Rutter)

The Earth-like exoplanet Kepler-1649c found: NASA’s Kepler spacecraft, which was retired by the Apex space agency in 2018, has provided information on an Earth-sized exoplanet that may be capable of supporting human life. Space.com reported. According to the new study, the exoplanet named Kepler-1649c surrounds a red dwarf star that is 300 light-years away from Earth. The exoplanet is also estimated to complete its orbit every 19.5 Earth days, the study adds. Scientists believe that the shortest distance from its host red dwarf star places the exoplanet in the habitable zone where liquid water could exist on the surface of the world.

The intriguing world always gives us hope that a second Earth is among the stars and is waiting to be found, said Space.com, Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator at NASA’s Scientific Mission Directorate.

The method used by the Kepler spacecraft to hunt down the planets was the transit method. The spacecraft tracked the small dips in brightness caused by planets crossing their faces from the spacecraft’s perspective. Kepler gathered all the information about the exoplanets during two of his missions. The spacecraft’s core mission came to an end in 2013 and an extended mission called K2 ended 17 months ago. Both missions of the spacecraft were substantially successful in meeting the primary objectives. Kepler managed to detect about two-thirds of the 4,100 confirmed exoplanets that astronomers have discovered so far. With the spacecraft collecting a lot of information about potential life-bearing planets, its findings are expected to keep scientists busy.

However, the possibilities of tracing false positives cannot be ruled out in Kepler’s case either. In addition to orbiting planets, there are many things in space that can cause starlight. A false positive determination team was also established called the Kepler False Positive Task Force. The same team also determined that Kepler-1649 had been falsely rejected as a false positive, according to the new study published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters.

In terms of the Keplar-1649c’s specifications, it is 1.06 times the size of Earth and receives about 75% of the stellar energy input of what Earth gets from the Sun. This attracts the interest of the Scientific community towards the newly discovered exoplanet is its proximity to life conditions on Earth.

TRAPPIST-1f and even Teegarden c are estimated to be close to Earth in size, but there is no exoplanet that is closer to Earth in size and temperature and is also in the habitable zone of the system. A neighboring planet to Kepler 1649-c, Kepler 1649-b also rotates around the red dwarf, but it rotates about half the distance from Kepler 1649-c, making it too hot for human life.

In addition, more research is needed regarding the atmosphere and air composition around the exoplanet. Additionally, red dwarfs frequently radiate powerful flares that could challenge livable prospects on the planet.