Astronomers develop new technique for detecting habitable planets around distant stars

A team of astronomers claimed to have developed a new tool to find habitable planets in other solar systems by measuring the surface gravity of the stars that are too distant to be studied with conventional methods.

Astronomers have already identified at least a dozen “Goldilocks” planets in other solar systems that are neither too hot nor too cold, but just right to support life. But a planet’s likelihood to support life depends on its star’s properties. Determining the star’s surface gravity can suggest the size and other details of the planets in its system.

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CrazyNeutrino said:

Astronomers develop new technique for detecting habitable planets around distant stars

A team of astronomers claimed to have developed a new tool to find habitable planets in other solar systems by measuring the surface gravity of the stars that are too distant to be studied with conventional methods.

Astronomers have already identified at least a dozen “Goldilocks” planets in other solar systems that are neither too hot nor too cold, but just right to support life. But a planet’s likelihood to support life depends on its star’s properties. Determining the star’s surface gravity can suggest the size and other details of the planets in its system.

more..

Hmm. Not sure I believe that. Yes it is possible, in fact relatively easy, to measure the surface gravity of a distant star, but I fail to see any connection between that and planet habitability. Other parameters, in particular presence of heavy elements in the spectrum and spectral type (our sun is a g2v) would be more useful indicators.