14 DAY TRIAL // Back in 2009, astronomers at the Center for Astrophysics (CfA) announced the discovery of an extrasolar planet that may have an atmosphere filled with water vapor. Now, a study demonstrates that indeed the super-Earth may contain water, despite its close proximity to its parent star.
The object is called GJ1214b, and orbits just 1.3 million miles (2.09 million kilometers) from its star. This means that it takes around 38 hours to complete a full rotation around the object, whereas Earth takes 365 days.
It revolves around a red type M dwarf, a star just 20 percent the mass of the Sun. Average temperatures on the exoplanet reach around 400 degrees Fahrenheit (about 200 degrees Celsius). However, astronomers believe that the world's cloud cover may be enough to allow it to hold on to its water.
The only exception could occur if the clouds are extremely thick, experts say. However, determining whether that is the case or not is an extremely complex task, considering that the world is about 42 light-years away from Earth, Daily Galaxy reports.