Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Astronomers Discover Super-Earth Which Is 30% Bigger Than Our Planet

Astronomers Discover Super-Earth Which Is 30% Bigger Than Our Planet

Astronomers Discover Super-Earth Which Is 30% Bigger Than Our Planet
Advertisement

Scientists have discovered a new planet ‘Super Earth’ relatively close to the planet. This is the planet that scientists have been dreaming of finding for years.

Researchers say that this planet could be the best place to understand the atmosphere on other rocky planets outside our solar system.

This new world has been given the scientific name of ‘Gliese 486b’ but it is also being called Super-Earth because it consists of solid and rocky earth like our own world but it is much bigger than our planet.

Despite the name Super-Earth, it is different from our Earth in many ways. This planet is 30% larger than our Earth and about three times heavier. It is so hot that lead can melt on its surface and there are rivers of lava flowing on its surface.

This planet orbiting a star is only 26 light-years away, our closest neighbour in the universe. Gliese 486b orbited the researchers due to its orbit and proximity to a small red star.

Advertisement

One of the surprising reasons for this is that it is a “moving” planet and when it passes in front of its star, scientists can observe it closely and examine its atmosphere.

However, this is not the only way for scientists to study the planet. This is unusual because it can be viewed in two ways.

One can be seen crossing the stars and the other can be detected by Doppler radial velocity. Combining the two methods can provide more detailed information about the planet and its atmosphere.

Its atmosphere is especially exciting for scientists because it is so hot that astronomers can measure the expanding temperature of its atmosphere.

One of the key ways to find out about other planetary environments is to see if there are any possibilities for life. If it is less likely, it may indicate that its star is unstable which could erase it at any time.

Probably a factor as to why they’re doing so poorly. A more developed environment would suggest that it could be a better place to live. The surface temperature of the Gliese 486b is 430 degrees Celsius and thus it is difficult to imagine a life like ours here.

Advertisement

But scientists hope they can further examine the environment and try to understand how similar planets could help humans and the potential for life there. “This is the planet we’ve been dreaming of discovering for decades,” said study co-author Ben Montet in a statement.

We have known for a long time that there are rocky planets or super-Earths around nearby stars, but we do not yet have the technology to find them.

“This discovery has the potential to change the way we think about the Earth’s environment.”

As Dr Montet puts it: ‘Gliese 486b is a type of planet that we will study more over the next 20 years. Noting that although super-Earths are not uncommon in the universe, it is unusual to find them in our own neighbourhood in the universe.

“We can’t wait until new telescopes are available,” said Trifon Trifonov, an astronomer with the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy in Heidelberg and who led the study.

Also Read

NASA’s intern discovers a new planet on his third day
NASA’s intern discovers a new planet on his third day

A teenage internee at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) made...

Advertisement
Advertisement
Read More News On

Catch all the Sci-Tech News, Breaking News Event and Latest News Updates on The BOL News


Download The BOL News App to get the Daily News Update & Follow us on Google News.


End of Article

Next Story