Transcript Slide 1

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Astronomers have discovered a Solar System that is
similar to ours.
Could aliens live on one of the planets?
What conditions need to exist for life?
© Snapshot Science, 2010
Image credit: ESO/L Calçado
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Scientists believe that for life to exist on a planet, it
must be at the right temperature for water to exist as
a liquid.
Not too hot, and not too cold. This area is called the
‘Goldilocks Zone’
© Snapshot Science, 2010
Image credit: darkpatator
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The 7 planets in this Solar System orbit a star called
HD10180.
Here is how it compares to our star.
The Sun
Mass: 332 900 x Earth
Surface temperature: 5505°C
© Snapshot Science, 2010
HD10180
Mass: 532 640 x Earth
Surface temperature: 5638°C
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Planet
Diameter
(km)
Mercury
Distance to Time for 1 orbit
Sun (million
(planet's
km)
'year')
Average
temperature
0
( C)
Mass
(ratio to
Earth)
Composition
5000
60
88 days
430
0.06
Rock
Venus
12000
110
220 days
470
0.82
Rock
Earth
12800
150
365 1/4 days
20
1
Rock
Mars
7000
230
2 years
-20
0.11
Rock
Jupiter
140000
780
12 years
-150
317.8
Gas
Saturn
120000
1400
30 years
-180
95.2
Gas
Uranus
52000
2900
84 years
-210
14.5
Gas
Neptune
50000
4500
160 years
-220
17.1
Gas
Here is some data about our own Solar
System and the newly discovered one.
Use it, and the information about the
two stars, to comment on how likely it
is that life exists on one of the planets.
Give reasons for your answer.
© Snapshot Science, 2010
Planet
Planet A
Planet B
Planet C
Planet D
Planet E
Planet F
Planet G
Distance to
HD10180
(million km)
3
9
19
40
73
212
509
Mass (ratio to Earth)
1.4
between 12
between 12
between 12
between 12
between 12
65
and
and
and
and
and
25
25
25
25
25