An artists interpretation of Ross. Source: https://hipertextual.comEarth meet Ross. Ross meet Earth.
This has scientists really excited.
Located just 11-light years from earth, and situated in a 'Goldilocks' Zone, newly sighted planet Ross 128b may be the perfect home away from home for humanity.
The European Southern Observatory, who spotted Ross, are very bullish about it's prospects of harboring life.
And they're preparing to study scattered photons of light coming from its direction for clues as to the makeup of its atmosphere.
Astrobiologist and planetary scientist Dr Charles Lineweaver said about the discovery: “This is good stuff. Very good stuff.''
Sounds promising.
Ross orbits a red dwarf star, a star that is much smaller, and cooler than our own. It’s Earth sized. And it's close.
In fact it's so close, it may already possible to take a peek into its backyard.
I wonder though... if we do eventually relocate to Ross, should we maybe change the name?
Planet Ross doesn't exactly inspire hope, so much as it evokes images of a whiny man who lives in New York and just can't seem to catch a break...
Watch this space!
