Science/Tech

NASA Unveiled 'Star Wars' Fictional Planets That Came Into Reality

By Bethlehem Cervantes | Update Date: Dec 22, 2016 06:54 PM EST

The fictional universe of the Star Wars puzzled some space researchers. Scientists' curiosity led to scrutinizing the data of more than 3,400 confirmed planets. NASA discovered exoplanets similar to the prominent planets of the movie "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story".

In 2015, NASA started a mission to discover possible real-life planets featured in the fictional "Star Wars" universe. Scientists were looking at the similarities of these exoplanets in the real-world universe. They found Kepler-452b which is a Coruscant or parallel to the Earth-like world. Scientists also spotted Kepler-16b and Kepler-453b which is a Tatooine or the world with twin suns.

They discovered OGLE-2005-BLG-390Lb which is a Hoth or a cold world, after the Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment (OGLE). Space researchers found Kepler-10b and Kepler-78b which is a Mustafar or a hot molten world. The Kamino or ocean world is like Kepler-22b. Recently, NASA confirmed there are also similarities to Alderaan and Endor in the real-world universe. Alderaan is the home planet of Princess Leia and Endor is the Ewoks' forested exomoon.

Scientists applied computer high-definition modeling strategy to look for these distant fictional worlds. Kepler-16b is a Saturn-sized planet is about 200 light-years away in the constellation Cygnus. Scientists found out that Kepler-16b is possibly too cold and gaseous to be home to life.

The astrophysicist, Laurance Doyle of the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence Institute, discovered the planet with double sunset (two suns) by using the NASA's Kepler space telescope. Doyle said that on Kepler-16b, people may have two shadows and sunset may be unique because stars were always changing the configuration.

One of the research scientists at NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies said that scientists were examining the Earth's climate to fully understand planetary habitability and the potential diversity of life on exoplanets. However, some astrobiologists think that plant life in other worlds could be black, red or even multicolored.

 

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