Visiting the Earth-Like Worlds of TRAPPIST-1

We have begun to understand the composition of worlds that are hundreds of trillions of kilometers from Earth. Astronomer Nikole Lewis is co-leader of a team that has used the Hubble Space Telescope to do this with the four Earth-like planets circling a star called TRAPPIST-1. Host Mat Kaplan talks with Digital Editor Jason Davis about a new probe designed to discover thousands of additional exoplanets. Want to win a Planetary Radio t-shirt? Answer this week’s space trivia question posed by Planetary Society Chief Scientist Bruce Betts.

Related Links:

• Hubble Probes Atmospheres of Exoplanets in TRAPPIST-1 Habitable Zone
• What the TRAPPIST-1 planets could look like
• Nikole Lewis on Twitter
• Preview: NASA's TESS prepares for 2-year exoplanet hunting mission
• Yuri’s Night Space Coast
• Webby Awards Public Voting Page

A Planetary Radio t-shirt. Also, a 200-point iTelescope.net astronomy account.

This week's question:

What was the first nebula observed that was tied to a supernova seen by humans?

To submit your answer:

Complete the contest entry form at http://planetary.org/radiocontest or write to us at [email protected] no later than Wednesday, April 18th at 8am Pacific Time. Be sure to include your name and mailing address.

Last week's question:

What is currently the second farthest spacecraft from Earth? It does not need to be currently functioning.

Answer:

The answer will be revealed next week.

Question from the week before:

What missions visited the Tiangong-1 space station?

Answer:

Three missions visited China’s Tiangong-1 space station: Shenzhou 8, 9 and 10.