M. Weiss / Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
In this artist's illustration, the young Sun-like star Kappa Ceti is blotched with large starspots, a sign of its high level of magnetic activity. New research shows that its stellar wind is 50 times stronger than our Sun's. As a result, any Earth-like planet would need a magnetic field in order to protect its atmosphere and be habitable. The physical sizes of the star and planet and distance between them are not to scale.
Illustration by M. Weiss / Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
