Planet with Two Moons Orbiting a Red Dwarf Star

Illustration: David Aguilar, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
February 6, 2013
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Illustration: David Aguilar, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics

This artist's conception shows a hypothetical habitable planet with two
moons orbiting a red dwarf star. Astronomers have found that 6 percent of all red dwarf stars have an Earth-sized planet in the habitable zone, which is warm enough for liquid water on the planet's surface. Since red dwarf stars are so common, then statistically the closest Earth-like planet should be only 13 light-years away.