Scientists have discovered Jupiter-like planet orbiting a star that appears to be a "twin" of our own Sun.
Researchers believe the life-friendly structure of our solar system was made possible by the presence of Jupiter and its significant gravitational influence, the European Southern Observatory reported. The recent findings suggest this newly discovered system could also potentially host life and could even be our solar system 2.0.
"The quest for an Earth 2.0, and for a complete Solar System 2.0, is one of the most exciting endeavors in astronomy. We are thrilled to be part of this cutting-edge research, made possible by the observational facilities provided by ESO," said Jorge Melendez, of the Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil, the leader of the team and co-author of the paper.
The planet is similar in mass to Jupiter, and orbits the star HIP 11915 at almost the exact same distance that Jupiter does. HIP 11915 appears to be also similar in mass to our own Sun and around the same age. The system is the most accurate "analogue" ever found for the Sun and Jupiter.
"After two decades of hunting for exoplanets, we are finally beginning to see long-period gas giant planets similar to those in our own Solar System thanks to the long-term stability of planet hunting instruments like HARPS. This discovery is, in every respect, an exciting sign that other solar systems may be out there waiting to be discovered," Megan Bedell, from the University of Chicago and lead author of the paper, which was published in a recent edition of the journal Astronomy and Astrophysics.
The researchers noted follow-up observations are needed to confirm the finding, but HIP 11915 is one of the most promising candidates for a solar system similar to the one we live in.
