Kepler-444 could help pinpoint when planets started to form
Astronomers have discovered an ancient solar system very similar to our own that dates back to the “dawn of the galaxy.”
Using NASA’s Kepler telescope, a team of international scientists found a star named Kepler-444 and five orbiting planets that are similar in size to Earth, the BBC reports.
Kepler-444 was formed 11.2 billion years ago, making it the oldest known system of its kind.
“By the time the Earth formed, the planets in this system were already older than our planet is today,” said Dr. Tiago Campate, the lead author of the study.
The discovery comes after four years’ of observations taken from NASA’s Kepler spacecraft.
Researchers say the discovery of older Earth-sized planets could provide scope for the existence of life on other ancient planets.
Astronomers Discover an Ancient Solar System That
28 January 2015
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