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The direct observations of NASA's space telescope revealed for the first time an empty atmosphere around a rocky planet the size of the Earth outside our solar system, gravitating around a star in the galaxy .
The new discovery was published Monday in a study published in the journal "Nature". It indicates that the surface of the distant planet is probably similar to the surface of the outer moon or the surface of Mercury and perhaps covered with dark volcanic rocks.
Located 48.6 light-years from Earth, the planet is one of more than 4,000 objects called extrasolar planets. It has been discovered over the past two decades orbiting distant stars in our galaxy, the Milky Way.
Scientists call the planet LHS 3488B, about 1.3 times the size of the planet and have an orbital period of 11 hours. It revolves around a relatively small and fresh star of so-called red dwarfs, l & # 39; 39, the most common and the oldest star. In the galaxy according to Sky News.
The study indicates that the planet's lack of atmosphere may be due to the intense radiation of the mother's red dwarf star, which emits high levels of ultraviolet radiation, even if it is opaque to stellar standards.
The study is likely to spark debate among astronomers as to whether the search for conditions conducive to life outside our solar system should target the planets close to the red dwarfs, which account for about 75% of the stars of the Way. Milky or less common and larger stars. And hotter than the sun.
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