Illustration of the exoplanet Kepler 1649b. This terrestrial (rocky) planet, slightly larger than Earth, orbits a red dwarf star 220 light-years away. The planet orbits its star so closely that the planet receives 2.3 times as much radiation from its star than the Earth gets from the Sun, despite the Sun being far more luminous. In this image, the planet is depicted as somewhat like Venus was in the past, hot and highly volcanic. Astronomers have singled out Kepler 1649b because it is one of several prime candidates for atmospheric research in future space studies. |