How cool is this?

Astronomers discover Earth-like planets believed to have oceans

Two water worlds, planets apparently covered completely by oceans, are within their star’s “habitable zone” and represent the most exciting discovery yet by the planet-hunting Kepler telescope, NASA announced Thursday.

The two planets are called Kepler-62e and -62f. The first is closer to its star and has more clouds than Earth, according to computer models by the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics.

The second would require the greenhouse effect to keep its surface warm enough to host liquid water; otherwise, it could be covered by ice.

“These planets are unlike anything in our solar system. They have endless oceans,” said lead author Lisa Kaltenegger of the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy and the CfA. “There may be life there, but could it be technology-based like ours? Life on these worlds would be under water with no easy access to metals, to electricity, or fire for metallurgy. Nonetheless, these worlds will still be beautiful blue planets circling an orange star — and maybe life’s inventiveness to get to a technology stage will surprise us.”