New Earth-Like Solar System

A planetary system with remarkable similarities to our own has been discovered, potentially increasing the chances of finding extra-terrestrial life. Astronomers have identified two new planets orbiting a star about half the size of our sun some 5,000 light-years away. The system, called OGLE-2006-BLG-109L, resembles a slightly scaled down version of our Solar system because the two gas giant planets are similar sizes relative to their star as Jupiter and Saturn are to our sun. The smaller planet is roughly twice as far from its star as the larger one, just as Saturn is about twice as far from the sun as Jupiter. Planetary scientists who discovered them believe there could be rocky planets, like Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars, closer to the star. Of around 250 planets so far discovered only 25 are known to be in systems with multiple planets. The discovery of OGLE-2006-BLG-109L, highlighted in the journal Science, has excited astronomers because it suggests there could be large numbers of other planetary systems which take a similar form to our own. Researchers searching for extraterrestrial life generally assume the most likely locations will be rocky planets in the so-called "habitable zone" - the region of a planetary system in which temperatures would allow water to remain in liquid form.