Astronomers have made an extraordinary discovery that could potentially bring us closer to finding a second Earth: a new planet that is Earth-sized and may be able to support human life.
Scientists speculate that this planet, if it has an atmosphere, could also have water and possibly even extraterrestrial life on its surface.
Published in the Monthly Bulletin of the Royal Astronomical Society, the new research describes the rocky exoplanet known as Gliese 12b. With a surface temperature of approximately 42°C (107°F), similar to the heatwave experienced in the UK in 2022, it is theoretically considered habitable.
Although Gliese 12b is believed to have an unusually cold climate, making it one of the coldest among the 5,000 identified exoplanets, it is still significantly warmer than Earth’s average surface temperature of 15°C (59°F).
The discovery of Gliese 12b was made by an international team of scientists collaborating with NASA and the ESA.
“This is an incredibly exciting finding that will advance the study of Earth-like planets throughout the galaxy – this planet is the closest to Earth in terms of size and temperature that we have encountered so far,” said astrophysicist David Schneider from the University of Warwick. Dr. Thomas Wilson expressed his enthusiasm for the discovery.
“Planets like Gliese 12b are incredibly rare, making it a unique opportunity to study them in such detail and gain insight into their atmosphere and temperature.”
Gliese 12b is about 40 light years away in the Pisces constellation, orbiting a cool red dwarf star called Gliese 12. Although similar in size to Earth (albeit slightly closer to Venus), it orbits its star every 12.8 days, a much shorter “year” compared to Earth’s 365 days.
In simple terms, “habitable” means that a planet could potentially sustain human life. However, it is still unknown whether Gliese 12b possesses an atmosphere, and if it does, what it consists of.
Understanding this is the next major challenge for researchers and could provide valuable insights into the atmospheres of other planets in our solar system. Notably, this study aims to shed light on the stark differences between Earth and Venus’ atmospheres, where Venus became uninhabitable due to climate change eradicating its water sources.
If Gliese 12b has an atmosphere, it could help explain these phenomena and potentially forecast Earth’s future, ensuring the maintenance of its temperature and the existence of liquid water.
Given its unique characteristics, Gliese 12b is a promising candidate for future exploration by the James Webb Space Telescope, which is expected to unveil even more mysteries.
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Source: www.sciencefocus.com
