Imagine a planet where it's too hot, like a summer day in the desert, no water can stay liquid. Or too cold, like the North Pole in winter, water freezes and stays solid forever. A habitable planet is one that has just the right temperature for water to be liquid, because life as we know it needs water to grow and thrive. It also helps if the planet gets light from a star, not too bright or too dim. Scientists call this the Goldilocks Zone, like Goldilocks who tried out different porridges, one was too hot, one too cold, but just right in the middle.
Examples
- A planet that’s too hot is like sitting outside in the middle of summer, no water can stay liquid.
- A planet that's too cold feels like being at the North Pole during winter, all water turns to ice.
- The Earth is just right, like Goldilocks picking the perfect porridge.
See also
- What If We Could Live on Mars?
- What's the Difference Between a Comet and an Asteroid?
- Why Do We See the Same Side of the Moon?
- What If the Moon Was Made of Cheese?
- What Causes a Solar Eclipse Exactly?
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Categories: Space · Planets· Life· Exoplanets · Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.