Hi Friends,

Special as Earth is, it can be quite boring sometimes. What used to be really fun, the tropical paradises and wintry heavens, are sloshing beneath the burdens of a harrowing deforestation and grueling overuse. Not to talk of the many diverse patterns of pollution that have been released into the atmosphere, lithosphere and hydrosphere. And besides the knack to know what's out there, beyond us, is really strong. Well, I do get the feeling that I am not the only Earthling who is wondering about what lies beyond Earth. For many years now, scientists have, through their astronomical telescopes and travels, scoured space to find somewhere, anywhere that is near habitable for mankind.

At first, the belief that there is something out there, some place that is half as suited for us as Earth was deemed a mere speculation, nothing to exactly lean our backs on. But with every year, with each continuing research, it has been discovered that there are a thousand and one alien planets out there . But only a few of these planets have come a little bit close to meeting the requisition that would enlist them as near suitable enough to "possibly" shift grounds to accommodate humanity. The requisite status of suitability being that the planet is "potentially habitable", that is it should be in the very right position in space to still have an atmosphere (a good one) as well as several water bodies that have not been deep freezed or ducked away by the heat.

Artist’s_impression_of_the_super-Earth_exoplanet_LHS_1140b.jpg - An Artist's Impression of LHS 1140B

Image Source: Wikimedia, Published by the European Southern Observatory (ESO), CC 4.0 Licensed

Just recently, about few months ago, scientists found a planet, an exoplanet actually, that rightly fits into the these specifications and this exoplanet is presently called Super Earth LHS 1140B. Against all odds, Super Earth LHS 1140B has proved to have potentials that makes it a viable target for future space explorations with regard to our life-long dream to live beyond Earth.

Before we delve into an in depth understanding of our next possible Earth, it is important we take a cursory glance at two of those planets that have come close to owning us.

Trappist 1

The first sign of the existence of other planets came with the knowledge that there are several other stars and by extension, there are planets orbiting round these stars, just as Earth orbits round an habitable area of the sun, alongside other planets with our solar system. While our solar system is of a unique make, other solar systems basically orbit round a more familiar star(s), what is know ln to us as the red dwarf stars.. One of the solar system orbiting one of these dwarfish, smaller stars (symptomatic of the name), is called Trappist-1. Trappist-1 has about 7 planets orbiting its star, but in even more closer perimeters than is deemed suitable. But because the movement round the sun is not circular, the tidal force and heat level is quite suitable for geological existence.

Image Source: Wikipedia, Credit to NASA/JPL-Caltech, CC0 Licensed

Again, red dwarfs, in their youth, are known to be hostile to the planets orbiting them as they emit some kind of solar energy that destroys both the atmospheres and underground water bodies of the planets. However, it would seem that Trappist-1 escaped the wrath of its red dwarf during its exuberant youthfulness as it has gone to live for billions of years while still maintaining a moderate tidal heat and light. On closer research, scientists have expressed the thought that the fourth (d) and fifth (e) planets of Trappist-1 are more suitable for living.

The one question that had stalled the scientists and enthusiasts is if these planets have enough water to support life. Well, this question had long been answered - Trappist-1 has more than enough water, maybe too much water, in fact, to support life. We don't want several cases of floods and what have you swarming the news, so we might just as well stay put on Earth.

Proxima b

800px-Artist’s_impression_of_Proxima_Centauri_b_shown_hypothetically_as_an_arid_rocky_super-earth.jpg
Image Source: Wikimedia, Credit to ESO, CC 4.0 Licensed - An Artist's impression of Proxima Centauri

Proxima b is what I would like to call a disaster in waiting. So, in 2016, the science goons discovered this Earth-sized planet, orbiting around the closest red dwarf star to our Solar system, Proxima Centauri. And this planet, Proxima b, was proven to be potentially habitable. Needless, the air was agog with keen celebration. We have found a look-alike. Good news! I am very sure the astrological experts and money holders must have been building a lot of momentum to launch out to Proxima b. Well, it's a good thing they didn't step their feet or rockets there any earlier than March 2017. Because right about that time, Proxima Centauri released a solar flare that blew up Promixa b and deflated the tiniest hope of our habiting the planet. OH WELL, GOOD RIDDANCE TO BAD Radiative, EXPLOSIVE RUBBISH

Nope, I didn't just say that!

Super Earth LHS 1140B

If this whole idea of finding a comfy place for humans beyond Earth had been a contest, I would have said something like _and the first prize goes to.... _ But this ain't a contest, so I would just reserve my prizes, and simply go ahead to say that it would appear we have found the best alien exoplanet yet that is potentially habitable. Give it up for Super Earth LHS 1140B...

This exoplanet, small and hidden, was discovered with a wide range of telescopes and HARPS' (High Accuracy Radial Velocity Planet Searcher) instruments when scientists were least searching. It lies within the habitable zone of a red dwarf star called LHS 1140 which is about 40 light-years away from Earth (Hey, science gurus in the house, how distant is that IN CLEAR TERMS? I do hope it's not so far.) Anyway, Trappist-1 was 39 light-years away.

So, our next-possible-Earth is a little bigger than Earth itself; it is 5 billion years old; and its star, LHS 1140, is pretty friendly and hospitable- it should be given that it weighs only about 15% the mass of our sun. Also, from the upclose investigations and follow-ups of scientists, it is not prone to those solar flares that other discovered exoplanet were exposed to. Every 25 days, Super Earth LHS 1140B stares face to face with the LHS 1140 star. But that's only to whistle and flaunt its permanence, no real damage there.

Earth-like_planet_(2).jpg
Image Source: Wikimedia, Credit to Pho3nix 1986, CC 4.0 Licensed - This is a dream image of what an Earth-like planet should look like.

The surprising fact that this planet survived during the early years of its star has been explained in light of the presence of a magma ocean that occupied the large mass of the planet and released steam into its atmosphere which was both useful for stalling the youthful red dwarf star from destroying the atmosphere and supplying water to its surface till LHS 1140 became an adult and came to its sense. Nonetheless, scientists are very careful about venturing into the exoplanet yet, as they do not the technological tools to view this and other planets in clear, close up shots. And no, they have made it obvious that they have no intention to invest so much time and effort on LHS 1140B only to find that there is an interstellar ark up there just like they did with Venus. But the fact that LHS 1140B usually has a sort of faceoff with its star every 25 days gives the scientists quite an ample sight to monitor.

In any case, I am quite excited and willing to revel in the prospects and potentials underlying the discovery of this potentially habitable alien Exoplanet. What about you?

Do leave a comment to air your views. And an upvote too would not be so bad.