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Nasa spots ‘nearby’ Earth-like planet that humans could one day colonise

A PLANET that humans could one day colonise has been spotted by Nasa – and it's relatively nearby.

The mysterious world is one of only a few Earth-sized planets discovered in a star’s habitable zone so far.

 Artist impression of TOI 700 d
Artist impression of TOI 700 dCredit: EPA

Dubbed TOI 700 d, it was spotted by Nasa's recently launched TESS space telescope.

Paul Hertz, astrophysics division director at Nasa HQ in Washington, said: "TESS was designed and launched specifically to find Earth-sized planets orbiting nearby stars.


"Discovering TOI 700 d is a key science finding for TESS."

 The planet was spotted by the recently launched TESS space telescope (artist impression)
The planet was spotted by the recently launched TESS space telescope (artist impression)Credit: Nasa

The newly found planet orbits a small, cool dwarf star known as TOI 700.

At about 40 per cent the Sun’s mass and size, the star is relatively small. It's orbited by several planets.

The system sits about 100 light-years from Earth, which is relatively close in space terms.

However, it would take a spaceship well over 300,000 years to get there using current technology, so this may be a journey for civilisations of the future.

TOI 700 d is to be about the size of Earth.

It's exact climate is now known, though scientists made some educated guesses using 3D climate models.

What is an exoplanet?

Here's what you need to know...

  • An exoplanet is a planet that is located outside of our Solar System and one that is orbitting its own star, like how Earth orbits the Sun
  • Nasa sent the Kepler space telescope into orbit with the purpose of finding Earth sized exoplanets that might support life
  • Over 4,000 exoplanets have been discovered so far and more missions to find even more exoplanets are planned
  • A good way to spot an exoplanet is to look for "wobbly" stars because a disruption to star light can indicate that a planet is orbitting it and therefore blocking out light on occasion
  • Expoplanets are very common in the Universe and the more we find that look like Earth the closer we get to knowing if we're not alone out there

One model suggests the planet is covered by oceans and features an atmosphere rich in carbon dioxide – just like Earth's.

Nasa has tentatively branded the planet "potentially habitable".

Further research should help scientists determine the world's atmosphere and climate.

The researchers hope that further data on the planet will help to work out which of these models is correct.

Gabrielle Englemann-Suissa, a Universities Space Research Association visiting research assistant at Goddard, added: "Someday, when we have real spectra from TOI 700 d, we can backtrack, match them to the closest simulated spectrum, and then match that to a model.


Simulation reveals how massive impact formed dwarf planet Hygiea

In other news, scientists recently discovered a "Super-Earth" 31 light-years away that humans could one day colonise.

Distant planets may host even more life than we have here on Earth, according to one shock study.

And, last year Nasa boss Jim Bridenstine said he believed Pluto should still be classified as a planet.

What do you think of the new planet? Let us know in the comments!
