Earth’s Distant Twin

Earth next to Kepler-186F

Kepler-186F is an exoplanet that exhibits strikingly similar characteristics to Earth. The planet is roughly the size of Earth, and is within the “habitable zone” of its red dwarf star, Kepler-186. The habitable zone implies that due to its distance from its star, it’s very possible that the exoplanet could have liquid water on its surface. It is the outermost of 5 similar planets that were discovered roughly a decade ago, which together make up the “Kepler System.” This discovery is absolutely fascinating, for the potential existence of liquid water and other Earth-like qualities means that there is a very good chance that extraterrestrial life exists here. Unfortunately, the planet is over 500 light years away, a distance we have not come remotely close to being able to reach with current technology. While it’s unlikely that we will be able to see what exists on Kepler-186F in our lifetime, it is fun to imagine what could exist on a world like this. Could life exist, or perhaps be much further developed than life as we know it? If you’re curious, you can find out more about the planet here.