Jack Kradolfer

SCI-165A
Exoplanet Paper

The first confirmed exoplanet was discovered in 1992, leading to the 1995 discovery of
an exoplanet orbiting a star similar to our own. Prior to these confirmations, there was no
definitive proof of the planets, but scientists were convinced they existed outside of our solar
system. The radial velocity technique is be used to detect the exoplanets; it measures the
wobble of a star when a planet orbits around it. The transit photometry technique is also used
to identify the exoplanets, which detects the orbiting planet by measuring the stars light as a
planet passes in front of it. NASAs Kepler Space Telescope has confirmed over 1000
exoplanets, but the significant discoveries are the planets that orbit within the habitable zone
around their star. The habitable zone is the distance a planet needs to be from its parent star to
potentially have liquid water on the surface. There are eight candidates that have the potential
earth-like qualities that could sustain life life that may be very different from the kind find on
earth. However, there are still many unknowns surrounding the earth-like exoplanets that evoke
exploration and fascination for most.
An exoplanet would need three important things before becoming a candidate for a newearth. It would need carbon-based organics, readily available liquid water, and a rocky surface
(rather than a gaseous one). We know that the earths conditions are habitable, so finding another
planet that is similar in composition, size, and relative location to its sun will yield more
promising candidates for a new-earth. The exoplanet Kepler-438b orbits in the habitable zone of
its system. Its size and temperature are earth-like and its Earth-Similarity-Index [ESI] is 0.88.

Kepler-438b orbits its red dwarf star once every 35.2 days. This exoplanet is 470 light-years
from earth, located in the Lyra constellation. 470 light years is 4.447e18 converted to meters.
Kepler-438b is not exactly close to us. Suppose a spaceship was designed to go 500mph to get us
to the exoplanet. It would take humans 630,622,266.2 years to reach its destination! This could
only be possible if the space ship was some sort of self-maintained life-incubating ship, rather
than a human ark designed for a large colony.

References:
https://www.nasa.gov/press/2015/january/nasa-s-kepler-marks-1000th-exoplanet-discoveryuncovers-more-small-worlds-in
http://www.space.com/17738-exoplanets.html
KEPLER 186F - LIFE AFTER EARTH - Documentary