Astronomers have discovered an Earth-like planet nearby. The rocky planet is located only 22 light-years away, and orbits a red dwarf star. It is the closest Earth-sized planet outside our solar system ever discovered.
the LTT 1445 AC An exoplanet (so-called exoplanet) with a catalog sign has a mass of 1.37 times, and a radius of 1.07 times that of the Earth. So it looks eerily similar to our planet.
Is there life on the newly discovered planet the size of Earth?
The most exciting question is, of course, whether there is life on the surface of the newly discovered planet. Unfortunately, the answer to this question is clearly no: the celestial body is too close to its star, and scorching heat radiates on its surface, making it impossible for life forms to permanently create and evolve. The discovery is still important, as we can observe the formation and evolution of worlds similar to our own from arm’s length, and we can also learn what distinguishes Earth-like worlds from each other.
The Earth-like planet is a member of a very special system
LTT 1445 Ac was first identified based on data from the exoplanet-hunting TESS telescope in 2021, but observing it was not easy, so its exact properties were not known for a long time. This is because the Earth-like exoplanet is a member of a very special system: its parent star is one of three stars connected to each other in a common gravitational system. Exoplanets and their properties can be identified based on changes in the brightness of their parent star. The situation was complicated here by the two companion stars, which also affected the brightness changes of the red dwarf.
he-goat results Finally, this was confirmed with the Hubble Space Telescope camera, and at the same time, the characteristics of the Earth-like world were recognized more precisely.
Infernal planet
Red dwarfs are smaller and cooler than the Sun, but LTT 1445 Ac orbits very close to its parent star, orbiting in just 3.12 days. For this reason, the surface is extremely hot, reaching a temperature of 260 degrees Celsius, making the development of life as we know it impossible.
Researchers are studying the planet further to determine its atmosphere. The information could help understand the formation of Earth-like planets.
The complete study is A Astronomical magazine It can be read in the astronomical magazine
