Researchers from the NAI’s University of Arizona Team have published a new study in the current issue of Astrophysical Journal Letters of the potential habitability of the extrasolar planetary system OGLE-2006-BLG-109L. The first multiple-planet system ever to be discovered by gravitational microlensing, it has two large planets similar to Jupiter and Saturn. It’s possible that the system harbors other planets, including Earth-like planets, that are beyond the sensitivity of the microlensing observations.

Their study examines the prospects for an Earth-like habitable planet in this system. They found that two smaller putative Earth-mass planets, perhaps yet undetected, could produce a planetary architecture of a potentially habitable system. With two “terrestrial” planets and two Jovian planets, it could bear very close resemblance to our own solar system.