Andy Weir's 'Exoplanet' just landed on Audible, but what actually makes an exoplanet habitable?
How would the crew of the Wild Blue Yonder fare on a real exoplanet?
In the Audible thriller "Exoplanet," three astronauts find themselves crash-landed on an unknown alien world, with limited oxygen and no idea what to do next. As they navigate strange environments, they ponder the fundamental question of what makes a planet habitable. The star overhead becomes a crucial factor, revealing how astronomers study starlight to determine a planet's potential habitability.
They learn that a star's temperature, luminosity, and orbital distance all play a role in whether a planet lies within the habitable zone, where liquid water could exist. However, even with a suitable distance, a star's radiation, including ultraviolet rays, X-rays, and stellar flares, can threaten the planet's atmosphere. The age of the star matters too, as younger, more active stars pose greater risks.
Even if a planet has breathable air, its composition, pressure, and atmospheric pollutants can still pose health hazards. But what if they want to find evidence of life on the planet? Astronomers could analyze starlight passing through the planet's atmosphere, searching for molecules like dimethyl sulfide, which on Earth is associated with biological activity. While detecting such molecules is intriguing, it doesn't conclusively prove the existence of life.
Written by urgent.news from Space.com's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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