Astronomers have made a groundbreaking discovery around Barnard’s Star, one of the closest single-star systems to our solar system. The four miniature planets orbiting Barnard’s Star are calculated to be just 20-30% the mass of Earth and complete one full trip around the star in only a few days.
The discovery was made possible by advanced instrumentation, including the MAROON-X instrument on the Gemini Telescope in Hawaii. By detecting faint wobbles in the star’s light signal, scientists were able to identify three planets initially, and when combined with data from an earlier observation, they found a fourth.
Each planet is believed to be a small, rocky world, but exact compositions are difficult to confirm due to their proximity to the star. The angles of their orbits mean they do not appear to pass in front of the star, making it challenging to determine their composition using traditional methods.
This discovery marks a significant breakthrough in detecting smaller, more elusive planets. By refining their techniques and instruments, astronomers hope to uncover more surprises in the universe.
Source: https://www.earth.com/news/four-small-planets-discovered-orbiting-the-nearest-single-star-to-earth-barnards-star