The near future may have the scientists studying the Earth’s twin in details and this could be very much possible by end of 2010. Professor Michael Mayor, the astronomer who discovered the first exoplanet is of the view that a planet very similar to ours in its composition and size could be a thing of reality in the future.  Speaking at the 50th anniversary of SETI programme which is the Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence Professor Mayor expressed that scientists have entered a new phase into finding a habitable planet with conditions just like those prevailing on earth.

400 exoplanets have been discovered in the last 15 years and the fact that these planets have been orbiting around stars similar to our Sun has given this view some bright hope. The Kepler spacecraft which was sent by NASA in March 2009 into the space is carrying the largest telescope which will help find earth like planets beyond its orbit. To be habitable a planet should match two important conditions- first it should be of the right size and second it should be at the right distance from the sun to contain water in liquid form. The telescope is studying a million stars every half hour and is looking for planets which meet both criteria for life to exist there.

The telescope is at present focused on the intense star fields in the Orion arm of our Milky Way.  It will be looking for planets similar to size of the earth and also study variations in brightness of these stars caused by the planets in front of them. Professor Mayor concluded that the spacecraft will find all the planets in the habitable zone in four year’s time.  With this research and many more being carried out finding more life in the universe would be a reality and the discovery of exoplanets have been an important milestone in this regard.