Los Angeles: Scientists have discovered two Jupiter-sized exoplanets about 150 light years away from Earth which could reveal whether life is possible on the smaller planets in other solar systems. “We believe planets like Jupiter have profoundly impacted the progression of life on Earth. Without them, humans might not be here to have this conversation,” said Stephen Kane, an associate professor at the University of California, Riverside in the US.
“Understanding how many other stars have planets like Jupiter could be very important for learning about the habitability of planets in those systems,” said Kane. Along with liquid water oceans, Kane said astronomers believe such planets have the ability to act as ‘lingshots,’ pulling objects like meteors, comets, and asteroids out of their trajectories en route to impact with small, rocky planets.
Many larger planets have been found close to their stars. However, those aren’t as useful for learning about the architecture of our own solar system, where the giant planets including Saturn, Uranus and Neptune are all farther from the Sun. The larger exoplanets also take many years to circle their stars, which means observing a complete orbit could engulf an astronomer’s entire
career. In addition to the two being orbited by giant Jupiter-like planets that had not been previously discovered, the team also detected a third, previously observed star with a giant planet in its system. “This discovery is an important piece of the puzzle because it helps us understand the factors that make a planet habitable and whether that’s common or not,” said Kane.
