Special data analysis made new exoplanets visible
Kepler-160, on the other hand, is a star of the Sun class. It has about a 1.1 times radius, a surface temperature of 5,200 degrees Celsius (our sun is 5,500 degrees Celsius) and is almost as bright as the sun. The Kepler Space Telescope discovered it a few years ago. The two companions Kepler-160b and Kepler-160c were already proven in its data. Both are significantly larger than Earth and rotate very closely around their star, so it is very hot on them. However, the measurements indicated additional companions.
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So a team led by the astronomer René Heller from Göttingen took a closer look at the data. The scientists have developed a special calculation method to filter out indications of overlooked, small planets from the data. “Our evaluations show that there are a high probability that there are even two more planets,” says the Max Planck researcher. One of them now bears the temporary name KOI-456.04 *, a possibly habitable rock world. It is still only 85 percent certain that this planet actually exists because it could not be observed directly. If it exists, it has an approximately 1.9 times the radius of the earth and will turn around its star in 378 days.
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Possible planetary atmosphere would be 5 degrees Celsius warm on average
“With 1.9 earth radii, KOI.456.04 is comparatively large compared to some other planets that are considered to be life – friendly. But in combination with its sun – like home star Kepler – 160, the system appears to the team from sun and earth like no other pair of star and Planet we know, “says Heller. The planet receives about 93 percent of the light from the earth. If it has an earth-like atmosphere, the average temperature on its surface should be around 5 degrees Celsius.
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Update 9.6 .: In the original version of this article we spoke of the planet Kepler-160d. This term was incorrect. The astronomer René Heller writes to us: “The star is called Kepler-160 and the known planets were called Kepler-160b and Kepler-160c. We have now found two new objects, both probably planets. We call one Kepler-160d and the other another is called KOI-456.04. We are “only” 85% certain that this object, which is about 1.9 times the size of Earth, is “only” 85% certain that it actually exists. However, in order for the signal to be attributed to a planet, we would have to be 99% The signal therefore remains only a planet candidate or in exoplanet speech: a “Kepler Object of Interest” (KOI), namely the one with the start number 04 around the star Kepler-160 (also known as KOI-456) the name of the new exoplanet candidate, KOI-456.04. “
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