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HomeLatest NewsEarth-sized planet discovered 72 light-years away

Earth-sized planet discovered 72 light-years away

Date: March 29, 2024 Time: 16:11:55

An international team of astronomers has announced the discovery of an exoplanet almost the same size as our Earth. The newly discovered space object is only 72 light-years away and orbits a small star.

The study has been accepted for publication in The Astronomical Journal and is available on the arXiv preprint service, and Science Alert talks briefly about it. The new exoplanet has been named K2-415b. The authors of the discovery draw attention to its similarity in some respects to the Earth. In his opinion, the similarities and differences will help shed light on the formation of terrestrial planets in star systems that are markedly different from our solar system.

The radius of K2-415b is only 1,015 times the radius of Earth. The object revolves around one of the smallest red dwarf stars known to science, in whose system there are planets the size of Earth. The mass of the star K2-415 is only 16 percent of the mass of the Sun. According to the study authors, the exoplanet was first seen in Kepler telescope data obtained in 2017. Additional observations were made over several years. , which were supposed to confirm or refute the fact of its existence. As a result, the scientists were able to identify the planet in the infrared.

The data obtained made it possible to measure the key parameters of the newly discovered world. It turned out that, with the exception of the radius, K2-415b is very different from Earth. For example, it turned out to be much heavier – its mass is about three times the mass of our planet. This means that K2-415b is significantly denser than Earth.

In addition, it is much closer to its star: its orbital period is only four days. The scientists also discovered that the new world is located just beyond the edge of the habitable zone, the distance between a star and a planet at which liquid water can be retained on the surface. Scientists believe that K2-415b has an atmosphere, but concede that signs of life are unlikely to be found on such a planet. In any case, it provides an excellent example for studying the atmospheres of potentially habitable worlds.

“The minor planets around M dwarfs are a good laboratory for studying the atmospheric diversity of rocky planets and the conditions in which a habitable terrestrial planet can exist,” concludes an international team of astronomers led by Teruyuki Hirano of the Center for Astrobiology. from Japan.

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Hansen Taylor
Hansen Taylor
Hansen Taylor is a full-time editor for ePrimefeed covering sports and movie news.
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