Astronomers have discovered in the constellation Ophiuchus, the closest to the solar system, a potentially habitable exoplanet. The authors sent their research results for publication in The Astrophysical Journal Letter, and are briefly reported on the website of the University of New South Wales in Australia.
Photo: UNSW Australia
Exoplanet Wolf 1061c, along with two other exoplanets, orbits the red dwarf Wolf 1061 (a star that is smaller and colder than the Sun) and is located 14 light years from the solar system. It is four times heavier than Earth and is the only body found in the system that is in the habitable zone.
Wolf 1061 system
Image: UNSW Australia
“This is a particularly exciting find, as all three exoplanets are light enough to potentially have a rocky solid surface, and the middle planet, Wolf 1061c, is in the Goldilocks zone, where liquid water and even life are possible,” said study co-author Duncan Wright. …
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Three exoplanets of the system revolve around the star Wolf 1061 with periods of 4.9, 17.9 and 67.2 days and 1.4, 4.3 and 5.2 times heavier than Earth, respectively. The exoplanet closest to Wolf 1061 turns out to be too hot for life to exist on it, and the most distant one is rocky and located at the edge of the habitable zone.
Exoplanets of the Wolf 1061 system were discovered by scientists using the HARPS spectrograph at the 3.6-meter telescope of the La Silla Observatory (part of the European Southern Observatory) in Chile. To do this, a team of scientists has developed a new method to improve the analysis of the data obtained.
Another potentially habitable exoplanet closest to Earth is Gliese 667Cc. It is located 22 light years from Earth and orbits a red dwarf with a period of 28 days. Gliese 667Cc is about 4.5 times heavier than the Blue Planet. The proximity of Wolf 1061c and Gliese 667Cc to Earth makes it possible to study their atmospheres.