Discovery of 'super-Earth' that could harbor life

Scientists have discovered a planet known as a 'super-Earth', a group of planets capable of supporting life, orbiting a sun-like star about 20 light-years away.

The blue halo is the region of planets that could allow life to appear.

According to a report published in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics , the newly discovered super-Earth, named HD 20794 d, is six times more massive than Earth and is located in the so-called "habitable zone".

This is the region from the central star at a distance that would allow liquid water to appear on the planet's surface, thereby creating conditions for life to thrive.

However, HD 20794 d moves on an elliptical orbit, not a circular one, meaning the distance between the planet and its star fluctuates depending on the orbital position. As a result, scientists have had difficulty determining whether life exists on the planet at this point.

Clues to the existence of super-Earth HD 20794 d began in 2022, when Dr. Michael Cretignier of Oxford University (UK) discovered a signal while examining archived data of La Silla Observatory in Chile.

Based on this information, an international team of researchers stepped in. They analyzed data collected from two decades of observations before confirming the existence of the planet.

“What is exciting is that the planet's proximity to Earth (20 light years) gives hope for future space missions to capture more detailed images of this super-Earth,” said Dr Cretignier.

Researchers call HD 20794 d an invaluable pilot study for projects searching for signs of life beyond the solar system.

"Given its location in the habitable zone and near Earth, the planet could play an important role in future missions to determine the atmospheric characteristics of exoplanets to search for biosignatures that indicate the potential for life," according to the researcher.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/phat-hien-sieu-trai-dat-co-the-dung-duong-su-song-185250129204156658.htm