2006-11-30 03:02:48 · 2 answers · asked by hunnk33 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
Possible, maybe. Likely, definitely not. The problem with flare stars (I assume you're talking about red dwarfs) is that any planet that orbits one has to orbit extremely close in order to receive enough heat to have liquid water on its surface (which is supposedly a precursor to life). At this range from the star, the planet will probably experience tidal lock, which would mean one side perpetually faces the star. The main problem is that at that close a range, any flare on the star could dramatically increase the brightness within minutes. Under unstable conditions like this, it is unlikely that advanced life would have the chance to evolve, because it is thought that advanced life needs to evolve under a relatively stable climate.
2006-11-30 03:26:35 · answer #1 · answered by The Wired 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It seems unlikely that life could evolve around a star that periodically emits massive flares. But then, we're extrapolating from a sample of one here...
2006-11-30 11:27:07 · answer #2 · answered by injanier 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋