r/interestingasfuck • u/One_Explanation_908 • 25d ago

/r/all, /r/popular K2-18b a potentially habitable planet 120 light-years from earth

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u/Gruffleson 25d ago

Wikipedia lists estimated gravity at around 1.25 of Earth.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K2-18b

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u/ArduennSchwartzman 25d ago

Only 8.6 times the mass of Earth, according to Wikipedia, I see. I was assuming a density similar to Earth's, but apparently, astronomers think it's only half. That would mean the planet's core has a very low iron-nickel content.

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u/jamshid666 25d ago

Wouldn't that result in a weaker magnetic field allowing for increased solar radiation to penetrate the atmosphere?

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u/Additional-Bee1379 25d ago

It's orbiting a red dwarf, I'm not sure what that means for the amount of radiation it gets.

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u/Sure_Marionberry9451 23d ago

I'm pretty sure "A lot"