Astronomers discover a potentially habitable planet with temperatures similar to Earth's
Located 40 light-years away from our home
"L The question of whether there are habitable planets beyond Earth has always been with us. Well, a group of astronomers may have discovered an exoplanet similar to our home located about 40 light-years away that could have relatively favorable conditions for life. Experts emphasize that it has very peculiar characteristics that warrant in-depth study.
The potentially habitable planet with Earth-like temperatures, in detail
This is Gliese 12 b, it orbits its star every 12.8 days and is similar in size to Venus, making it smaller than Earth . Its approximate surface temperature is 42 degrees, a figure much lower than that of most of the approximately 5,000 exoplanets confirmed to date.
One of the main unknowns astronomers raise is whether Gliese 12 b has an atmosphere and what its composition would be . It could have a gaseous envelope similar to Earth's, exhibit characteristics similar to those of Venus, or have a completely different atmosphere.
However, knowing the atmospheric conditions of Gliese 12 b could determine whether it might maintain temperatures compatible with the existence of liquid water and, potentially, with life.
In addition, its star is approximately 27% the size of the Sun and has a surface temperature close to 60% that of our star. The distance between the two bodies is equivalent to around 7% of that separating the Earth from the Sun, and it receives 1.6 times more energy from its star than the Earth does from the Sun, although less than Venus.
Astronomers have used observations from NASA's TESS satellite to study this planet. Likewise, its star does not appear to show extreme activity, something vital for the possible preservation of its atmosphere. The next step, as we have mentioned, will be to analyze its atmospheric composition t o determine whether it is ultimately potentially habitable.
