APOD 1.3

This image was titled "Extrasolar Super Earth Gliese 1241b Might Hold Water" on the official APOD website. It shows the planet GJ 1214b, also known as Gliese 1214b, orbiting the star GJ 1214. It's called a "super Earth" because it is about 2.7 times Earth's diameter and close to seven times as massive. This planet was discovered when it created a mini-eclipse with its sun, as depicted in this illustration. GJ 1214 is a slightly smaller, slightly cooler version of the Sun in our galaxy. This planetary system is only 42 light years away from us, so astronomers have been studying it to see if any of its planets appear to have Earth-like qualities. Amazingly enough, the Hawaiin Subaru telescope discovered a slight blue emission from the "Super Earth", suggesting that it may have a watery atmosphere. I find discoveries like this fascinating because discovering water on other planets could be a direct correlation to discovering other life forms, as most life forms on Earth need water to survive.