Astronomers have finally confirmed the presence of four small exoplanets orbiting Barnard’s Star, the nearest solitary star to Earth at 5.96 light-years away. The discovery is significant because all four planets are smaller than Earth, making them challenging to detect.
The search for exoplanets around Barnard’s Star began in 1916, and previous attempts have yielded unconvincing signs of planetary orbits. However, a team led by Ritvik Basant of the University of Chicago has made a breakthrough using advanced instruments from previous generations.
Barnard’s Star is an object of interest due to its proximity to Earth and its status as a red dwarf star, which makes it similar to our solar system’s Sun. Studying this star can provide valuable insights into planetary systems around single stars and the potential for habitability.
The team used the MAROON-X planet-hunting instrument mounted on the Gemini North telescope in Hawai’i to take observations of the star over 112 nights. They detected faint wobbles in the star’s position, indicating the presence of four exoplanets. The planets have masses ranging from 0.19 to 0.34 times that of Earth, with orbital periods ranging from 2.3 to 6.7 days.
The discovery highlights the challenges of detecting small exoplanets and the importance of continued advancements in observational technology. While none of the four planets are thought to be habitable due to their proximity to the star, they offer hope for future discoveries and a deeper understanding of planetary systems around red dwarf stars.
The team’s findings have been published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, marking a significant milestone in exoplanet research.
Source: https://www.sciencealert.com/4-rocky-worlds-found-orbiting-earths-closest-single-star-and-theyre-tiny