European astronomers announced on Monday the discovery of 50 new planets, including 16 ‘Super-Earths,’ one of which they believe may be habitable.
The astronomers were using the High Accuracy Radical velocity Planet Searcher (HARPS) telescope in Chile to make these discoveries. HARPS has assisted astronomers in discovering 150 new planets over the last eight years.
The astronomers were particularly excited about the Super-Earths, which are bigger than our planet, but not as large as “ice giant” planets like Neptune. One of these worlds, HD 85512 b, has a mass of approximately 3.6 times that of the earth. That planet rotates close enough to its star that liquid water, which is considered essential for life, may be present.
“The detection of HD 85512 b is far from the limit of HARPS and demonstrates the possibility of discovering other super-earths in the habitable zones around stars similar to the Sun,” says Michel Mayor, the leader of the HARPS team, who is based at the University of Geneva, Switzerland.
HD 85512 b is about 35 light-years away in the constellation of Vela. The temperature on the planet is estimated to be around 25 degrees Celcius, although it is believed to be extremely humid, which will push temperatures up to around 49 degrees Celcius.
(For the original article, go to www.mashable.com).