Four planets discovered in Earth's neighboring star system

Thanks to the support of some of the most powerful observatories available today, astronomers have confirmed the existence of four planets orbiting a star less than 6 light-years from Earth.

A simulated image of Barnard's star and its planets.

Photo: International Astronomical Observatory Gemini/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/P. Marenfeld

A report published in April 2024 mentioned a planet orbiting Barnard's star, the second closest single-star system to Earth. However, subsequent coordination among a number of observatories around the world confirmed the existence of not one, but four small planets, according to a report published in the March issue of The Astrophysical Journal Letters .

Astronomers say they used the Gemini Observatory in Hawaii (USA) and the Very Large Telescope (VLT) in Chile to discover new planets.

"This discovery reflects a breakthrough in the precise use of these tools compared to previous generations of researchers," ABC News quoted the report's author, graduate student Ritvik Basant of the University of Chicago, as saying today, March 19.

Barnard's star is a red giant discovered in 1916. Since then, astronomers have estimated that at least 70% of the stars in the Milky Way are of this type. That's why researchers want to learn more about the planets orbiting them, according to the University of Chicago.

"It's an incredibly exciting discovery; Barnard is our neighbor, yet we know so little about it," said Basant, the report's author.

Barnard's planets have masses ranging from 20% to 30% of Earth's, and surface temperatures too hot to support life. They are more likely rocky planets than gas giants.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/phat-hien-4-hanh-tinh-trong-he-sao-lang-gieng-cua-trai-dat-185250319101610015.htm