ESOcast 96: Ultracool Dwarf and the Seven Planets

Astronomers have found a system of seven Earthsized planets just 40 lightyears away. Using ground and space telescopes, including ESOs Very Large Telescope, the planets were all detected as they passed in front of their parent star, the ultracool dwarf star known as TRAPPIST1. Three of the planets lie in the habitable zone and could harbour oceans of water on their surfaces, increasing the possibility that the star system could play host to life. This system has both the largest number of Earthsized p