Tre pianeti, "fratelli" della Terra, che ruotano intorno a una stella nana più fredda del Sole, chiamata Trappist-1, che si trova a "soli" 40 anni luce da noi, sono stati identificati da un gruppo internazionale di astronomi guidato dall’Istituto di astrofisica e geofisica dell’Università di Liegi, in Belgio. La notizia viene riportata dalla rivista Nature.
I tre sarebbero potenzialmente in grado di ospitare vita e verranno studiati più approfonditamente grazie a telescopi giganti attualmente in costruzione. Sarà osservata così la composizione della loro atmosfera e si cercheranno la presenza di acqua e tracce di attività biologica. "Si tratta di un enorme passo avanti nella ricerca di vita nell’universo", hanno spiegato gli studiosi.
I tre corpi celesti sono i primi mai scoperti in orbita intorno a questo genere di astri nani e ultra freddi, molto diffusi nella Via Lattea. "Se si dimostrasse che pianeti simili al nostro sono comuni intorno a questo genere di stelle", proseguono gli astronomi, "allora mondi potenzialmente abitabili potrebbero essere molto più numerosi di quanto ipotizzato fino ad ora".
ansa/mrj
Dal TG12.30:
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