Expert: Jayendra Upadhye - 3/1/2005

Question
What is the current, widely accepted expert opinion on the presence of habitable planets anywhere near our Solar system?

Answer
Hi Lyndon,
The sun has certain important features that set it apart from others. Though it is not unique, but rather belongs to a "class" of stars with sun like properties.
such as :
[ref:- link "http://www.solstation.com/habitable.htm"]
It's a solitary star although most stars have stellar companions, which is fortunate for life on Earth because stable planetary orbits like the Earth's are much more likely around single stars.

It's among the most massive 10 percent of stars in its neighborhood so that it is not too cool and dim, but also not so massive that it burns out before life has time to develop, evolve, and manufacture an oxygen atmosphere to create an Earth-type planet.

Finally, it appears to have roughly 50 percent more "heavy" elements than other stars of its age and type, but only about a third of their variation in brightness, which is also fortunate because elements heavier than hydrogen are essential to make rocky planets like Earth and large stellar flare-ups can harm planetary life with hard radiation.
Use the link to read that they have shortlisted 37 stars that in all probability are most sunlike or likely to support life.

Happy surfing.
Jayen