anomalien.com
New planet similar to Earth has been discovered not far from us
Scientists believe that the temperature on the planet is not too high and there may be liquid water there.
Astronomers have found a new planet outside the solar system with a fairly moderate temperature and the size of Earth at a distance of 40 light years from us. By cosmic standards, this is close. The results of the study are presented in the journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, reports ScienceAlert.
The new planet, called Gliese 12 b, orbits a red dwarf star. These stars are smaller than our Sun and have a lower temperature, but they are the most common type of star in the Milky Way. It is believed that extraterrestrial life may exist on rocky planets that orbit red dwarfs.
Although red dwarfs often emit radiation that is too powerful to harm potential life on surrounding planets, Gliese 12 exhibits low activity. And it’s one of only two red dwarf stars within 100 light-years of us, orbited by an Earth-sized planet with relatively low levels of radiation.
Comparison of the potential size of planet Gilese 12 b with the size of Earth. It also shows the different potential appearance of a planet depending on what kind of atmosphere it has. Credit: NASA
Planet Gliese 12 b is not only similar in size to Earth, but is also located in the habitable zone of its star. This means that it may have a composition and surface conditions similar to our planet.
Scientists suggest that the average temperature on this planet is slightly more than 40 degrees Celsius, which is considered relatively moderate.
The planet’s location in the star’s habitable zone means that liquid water can exist on its surface. Since water is essential for life as we know it, this world could potentially be habitable.
But the presence of liquid water on planet Gliese 12 b also depends on its atmosphere and surface conditions.
In order to find out the composition of the atmosphere and obtain more data about the planet itself, scientists intend to conduct additional research. The study authors say that if oxygen, water, methane and carbon dioxide are found in the atmosphere, they could indicate biological processes.
Another feature of planet Gliese 12 b is that it receives roughly average levels of radiation from its star compared to what Earth and Venus receive from the Sun. That is, the radiation level is slightly higher than on Earth, but much less than on Venus.
The discovery of planet Gliese 12 b is an important step towards finding habitable planets and better understanding the conditions that make life possible.
The relatively close location of a potentially habitable planet allows scientists to obtain a lot of detailed information about it.
The post New planet similar to Earth has been discovered not far from us appeared first on Anomalien.com.