In 2010, some astronomers and scientists were all ecstatic at the discovery of Gliese 581g, which they said is a distant Earth-like planet that apparently has the same conditions for life to exist.

But now, researchers from Penn State University said they are unable to locate Gliese 581g. In a paper published in the journal, Science, lead author Paul Robertson of Penn State said Gliese 581g doesn't exist at all. 

Like Us on Facebook

Gliese 581d, another planet in that same solar system considered hospitable to life and alien life forms, was also found to be non-existent. Gliese 581d was "discovered" in 2009.  

After measuring hydrogen atoms of the star Gliese 581 the two planets allegedly orbit, Robertson found out that the intense magnetic activity earlier detected were actually sunspots and not planets.

Gliese 581 is a dim red dwarf 22 light-years away from our solar system.

Paul Butler from the Carnegie Institution for Science and Steven Vogt from the University of California, who discovered Gliese 581g, observed some wobbles in Gliese 581's orbit supposed to have been caused by the gravity of Gliese 581g and Gliese 581d.

Butler said these planets take 37 days to do a full orbit of Gliese 581. He noted the planets were in the "Goldilocks Zone" that was just the right distance to allow liquid water to form.

Although a clear, consistent pattern of these wobbles should present some statistical evidence of these planets, the signals coming from Gliese 581d and 581g were dismissed by the new study as signals originating from the star itself. 

These signals are apparently starspots, much like sunspots, which emit magnetic disturbances that mimic the motion of a planet.

Eric Ford from the University of Florida criticized Butler's and Vogt's findings, saying the planetary signatures both men said they observed were mostly due to stellar activity rather than the existence of these two planets.

Robertson is convinced about his team's findings. He said that after his team corrected data about these findings, it's safe to presume these sunspots are caused by stellar activity and not by actual planets.

TagsEarth-like Planets Apparently Do Not Exist, earth-like planets, planets fit for human life, alien planets, Alien life, solar system, planets with alien life, gliese 581, paul robertson, paul butler, steven vogt, pen state university, eric ford, sunspots, planets like earth