Gliese 581 C - 'Earth like' planet
20.5 light years away from Earth lies the red dwarf star Gilese 581. Using the HARP instruments in Chile and the radial-velocity technique (looking for wobble in a star caused by gravitational pull of planets), scientists have found two planets inside the habitable zone, as determined by temperature, of the star. One planet is 5 times the mass of Earth, called Gilese 581 C. The other is 13 times the mass of Earth. 581 C is expected to have either a rocky surface or a surface consisting primarily of oceans. To date, Gilese 581 C is the most earth like planet found outside of our solar system according to Alan Boss of the Carnegie Institute.
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