Using the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope (ESO’s VLT), astronomers have discovered an exoplanet orbiting Barnard’s star, the closest single star to our Sun. On this newly discovered exoplanet, which has at least half the mass of Venus, a year lasts just over three Earth days. The team’s observations also hint at the existence of three more exoplanet candidates, in various orbits around the star.
It’s fascinating we are living through a time when exoplanets are first being found . This planet is closer to its Red Dwarf star then Mercury is to our far far hotter G-type star. Still, the surface temperature is only 25 degrees Celsius above boiling point.
neat!
It’s fascinating we are living through a time when exoplanets are first being found . This planet is closer to its Red Dwarf star then Mercury is to our far far hotter G-type star. Still, the surface temperature is only 25 degrees Celsius above boiling point.