Astronomers discover a potentially habitable planet just 11 light-years away
With everything that's going on in the world today, you might be looking for an escape plan.
Luckily, astronomers just announced their discovery of planet Ross 128 b — an Earth-like rock that is just 11 light-years away.
Ross 128 b is about the size of Earth, and it's likely to have a similar surface temperature, CNN reports. It also orbits a red dwarf — a type of star that is more likely to harbor habitable planets because of its cool temperature.
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The European Southern Observatory reported that Ross 128 b is the second-closest temperate planet to Earth, after Proxima b. And since both of these planets orbit quiet red dwarfs, astronomers are looking near similar stars to find more planets like Ross and Proxima.
So for now, consider Ross 128 b to be a backup to your backup plan — just in case Earth doesn't quite work out.
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