By Guest Post January 14, 2013 Science astrobiology , astrophysics potsdam , benign environment , climatic conditions , earth size , energy source , exomoons , exoplanets , extrasolar moons , extrasolar planets , Germany , greenhouse effect , habitable edge , habitable moons , habitable worlds , habitable zone , issue , jupiter , kepler space telescope , leibniz institute , life , liquid surface water , mars , NASA , orbiting planets , possible , rene heller , rory barnes , solar system , sources of light , stellar illumination , sterile gas giants , theoretical model , theoretical question , tidal heating , university of washington
In their search for habitable worlds, astronomers have started to consider exomoons, or those likely orbiting planets outside the solar system. In a new study, a pair of researchers has found that exomoons are just as likely to support life as exoplanets.
The research, conducted by Rory Barnes of the University of Washington and the NASA Astrobiology Institute and René Heller of Germany’s Leibniz Institute for Astrophysics Potsdam , will appear in the January issue of Astrobiology. Heller is lead author of the paper. (more…)
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