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In 2016, scientists discovered seven planets orbiting an ultra-cool dwarf star called TRAPPIST-1, raising the hope that they could shelter life.
Now, a new study has revealed that the seven planets are mostly rocky, with potentially more liquid water than the Earth.
Researchers at the University of Bern have found that some of the planets have up to 5% of their mass in the form of liquid water, about 250 times more water than on Earth.
S addressing Space.com, Dr. Simon Grimm, who led the study, said: "All TRAPPIST-1 planets are very similar to Earth – they have a solid core, surrounded by 39, an atmosphere.
(Image: PA)
In particular, researchers believe that the planet TRAPPIST-1e could be a good candidate for life.
Dr. Grimm added: "TRAPPIST-1e is the exoplanet that most resembles the Earth in terms of mass, radius, and energy received from its star."
To reach this conclusion, the researchers used a technique called "Transit Time Variations" (TTV).
(Image: ESO / M. Kornmesser)
This technique is based on small variations in the time needed for a planet to move from its star to our point of view, called transit.
TTVs allow scientists to make extremely sensitive observations about global masses and densities.
Dr. Grimm explained, "The use of TTVs is currently the only method for determining the masses and therefore the densities of planets such as the TRAPPIST-1 system.
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TTV analysis revealed that planetary density varies from 0.6 to 1.0 times the density of the Earth.
And the seven planets are rich in water, with water levels reaching up to five percent of the total mass.
Researchers hope their discoveries will help teams understand if planets could support life.
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