WASHINGTON, Jan. 14 (UPI) -- As a unique way to draw attention to the increasing number of exoplanets discovered by the repaired and reinvigorated Kepler, NASA published three throwback travel posters showcasing alien worlds Kepler-16b, Kepler-186f and HD 40307g.
The first destination planet showcased as part of NASA's Planet Quest and its Exoplanet Travel Series was Kepler-16b, a Saturn-mass planet that is half gas, half rock and ice. "Relax on Kepler-16b: Where your shadow always has company," the planet's slogan reads. The phrase is a reference to Kepler-16b's, 229-day orbit around not one, but two stars. It was the first confirmed exoplanet found circling a binary stellar system.
Also on the imaginary must-see list is Kepler-186f -- "Where the Grass is Always Redder on the Other Side," according to NASA's pitch men. Scientists suggest the Earth-sized planet could host plant life, as it's in the habitable zone in which water can exist at liquid state. Should photosynthesis be happening on Kepler-186f, researchers say the red light from its cooler host star could make for a color palette quite different from the blues and greens that dominate Earth.
Finally, there's HD 40307g, a Super Earth. "Experience the gravity of a Super Earth," its poster reads. The exoplanet has a mass eight times greater than Earth's, meaning its gravitational force is eight times more powerful. Skydiving on HD 40307g would require a much larger parachute.
