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Gorgeous Concept Art of Newly-Discovered “Earth 2.0” Planet

Image Credit: Science Artist Ron Miller

I can never get enough of space conceptual art, see, sometimes in science, there comes a time when they do not have the technology or data to envision what something might be or look like. This is where art and a little bit of imagination comes in, you have artists that share as much love for all things science but do not refrain from envisioning these worlds, stars, occurrences because that’s typically how imagination works, no constraints.

On the plus side to this, you have a public who is eager to put a temporary image to the data trickling in and that’s where conceptual artists come in, they ignite that wonder in us to think of all the possibilities.

After the link are a couple more images courtesy of io9 illustrating concepts of what these worlds could be. When data comes in that says it isn’t or is as envisioned then we move on to the next discovery and continue on a never-ending process of discoveries and revelations.

What would it look like on the surface of Kepler-22b, the planet that NASA today called “the most Earthlike planet yet discovered”? Science artist Ron Miller offers these visions of a planet that could be home to future human colonies.

Bathed in water, with streams of clouds covering the view of its many sister planets, Kepler-22b might be as beautiful as our home world. It’s twice the size of Earth, and inhabits its star system’s “goldilocks zone” where liquid water can exist and it’s not too hot or cold for life as we know it. You can learn more about Kepler-22b here.