Is this planet habitable?

Subject :

Since liquid water is considered a favorable environment for the emergence and development of life as we know it, an exoplanet is said to be habitable (or temperate) when it is capable of supporting liquid water on its surface.
The habitable zone (HZ) of a star is the region within which a planet can maintain liquid water on its surface.
This activity compares two methods for calculating the HS of a Sun-like star and highlights the implications of this choice for the habitability of the planets orbiting it.

Level : High School
Duration : approximately 2 hours

Prerequisites :

Objectives :

  • Compare two methods of calculating the habitable zone
  • Understanding the role of the planet model in the habitable zone

Subject, Solutions, Annexes :

Auteurs : Françoise Roques LIRA, Observatoire de Paris