"The atmosphere of a planet located in the habitable zone could be able to support and protect life."Tiny EarthScientists examined a rocky exoplanet orbiting just 35 light years from Earth. It was found to be very close to L 98-59, a star that is also a candidate for searching for alien life.According to research published in Astronomy and Astrophysics on Thursday, it has half the mass as Venus. However, a significant portion of its mass appears to be made of potentially life-sustaining oceans.According to Maria Rosa Zapatero Osorio, an astronomer from Spain's Centre for Astrobiology, the planet may be in a zone that can support life. This was stated in an observatory press release.Guess and checkA team of European scientists used the ESPRESSO instrument from the European Southern Observatory (ESO) to study the smallest exoplanets. This technique detects new worlds through their gravitational tug against their host star.AdvertisementAdvertisementScientists cannot image or analyze the chemical composition of L 98-59b exoplanet, which is the smallest and most likely to have oceans. Based on data that they have, the scientists believe it may contain water, as it is close enough to its star to be both warm and not boiling hot.The team remains optimistic, however, that future observatories and other astronomical instruments, such as NASA's James Webb Space Telescope or the ESOs Extremely Large Telescope will enable them to look closer and determine if it can host any life.The release by Olivier Demangeon, University of Porto scientist and lead author of the study, stated that this system is a sign of what's to come. As a society we have been searching for terrestrial planets ever since the dawn of astronomy. Now we are closer and closer to finding one in the habitable area of its star. We could then study the atmosphere.READ MORE: Recent observations reveal that Venus' mass is only half in rocky exoplanets [ESO]AdvertisementAdvertisementExoplanets: NASA Telescope Idea Could Spot Plantation on Distant Exoplanets
