What makes our home planet Earth so uniquely suited to life? One key factor is its location in what astronomers refer to as the Goldilocks Zone.
The Goldilocks Zone is the region around a star that's not too hot or too cold for liquid water. It's just right.
Liquid water is essential to life on Earth, and our position within this zone supports rain, rivers, clouds, and oceans.
Water even makes up around 60% of our bodies.
The presence of liquid water on the surface is one of many conditions that make a planet habitable.
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Outside the Goldilocks Zone
Consider the alternatives for life outside the Goldilocks Zone.
If Earth's orbit was closer to the Sun than it currently is, we'd roast.
Take a look at some the planets in our Solar System that do orbit closer to the Sun than Earth.
The average temperatures on Mercury (167°C/333°F) and Venus (464°C/870°F) are hot enough to boil water and then some.
And on Mars, the next planet farther out than Earth, the average temperature sits at a frosty -65°C-85°F, which is cold enough to freeze water solid.
Searching for life
Since we know about Earth's location relative to the Sun and our planet's ability to host life, astronomers can use that knowledge to examine planets around other stars.
The Goldilocks Zone is central to the search for life beyond our Solar System.
When exploring distant star systems, scientists start by looking for exoplanets in this 'just right' zone where liquid water — an essential ingredient for life as we know it — can exist.
This article was taken from Big Ideas Little Pictures and Sketchplanations by Jono Hey.
