Send in the Clones - Planets of the TRAPPIST-1 System Look a LOT Alike

Just 40 light years from Earth, a system of planets all seem to look a lot alike - the family resemblance is uncanny

The TRAPPIST-1 system contains a family of planets with a strong family resemblance.

By James Maynard

Just 40 light years from Earth, the TRAPPIST-1 system of planets is home to the largest family of Earth-like worlds known to astronomers.

At least seven planets are known to orbit within the TRAPPIST-1 solar system. A new study shows these worlds have nearly identical densities — within just a few percent of each other. This suggests that each of these seven planets could have similar compositions.

“This is one of the most precise characterizations of a set of rocky exoplanets, which gave us high-confidence measurements of their diameters, densities and masses. This is the information we needed to make hypotheses about their composition and understand how these planets differ from the rocky planets in our solar system,” explained Eric Agol, professor of astronomy at the University of Washington.

Read more: https://thecosmiccompanion.net/send-in-the-clones-planets-of-the-trappist-1-system-look-a-lot-alike

Join us on Astronomy News with The Cosmic Companion, starting February 9, when we will talk with Dr. Eric Agol of the University of Washington about this discovery.

Coming up February 2: Dr. Lauren Weiss, astronomer at the University of Hawaii, talking about her work discovering the TOI-561 planetary system, and discussing extreme exoplanets!

For more details on space and astronomy news, please visit: thecosmiccompanion.net or thecosmiccompanion.com.

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- James