Signs of a 'super Earth' discovered around a nearby star

November 15, 2018 19:55

Astronomers have discovered a frozen 'super Earth' orbiting the closest solitary star to the Sun, a breakthrough that could shine light on our planet's nearest planetary neighbours.

The potentially rocky planet, known as Barnard's star b, is a 'super-Earth' and orbits around its host star once every 233 days, said researchers from Queen Mary University of London in the United Kingdom.

The findings, published in the journal Nature, show the planet lies at a distant region from the star known as the 'snow line'.

This is well beyond the habitable zone in which liquid water, and possibly life, could exist, researchers said.

The planet's surface temperature is estimated to be around minus 170 degrees Celsius, meaning it is likely to be a frozen world which is uninviting to Earth-like life, they said.

However, if the planet has a substantial atmosphere the temperature could be higher and conditions potentially more hospitable.

"Barnard's star is an infamous object among astronomers and exoplanet scientists, as it was one of the first stars where planets were initially claimed but later proven to be incorrect. Hopefully we got it right this time," said Guillem Anglada Escude from Queen Mary's School of Physics and Astronomy.

"If the planet can be observed directly it will provide vital information about its properties and extend our understanding of the kinds of planets that form around red dwarf stars," researchers said.

At nearly six light-years away Barnard's star is the next closest star to the Sun after the Alpha Centauri triple system.

It is a type of faint, low-mass star called a red dwarf. Red dwarfs are considered to be the best places to look for exoplanet candidates, which are planets outside our solar system.

Barnard's star b is the second closest known exoplanet to our Sun. The closest lies just over four light-years from Earth.

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