Find a nearby exoplanet suitable for atmospheric analysis

Using both transmission data and radial distance, researchers found Gliese 486 b – an above-ground exoplanet orbiting the nearby red star Gliese 486. At just 8.1 parsecs from Earth, it is Gliese 486 b is the third nearest transmission exoplanet – and the nearest one that moves a bright red star with a measured mass. This makes it an excellent candidate for atmospheric detection and residential study, according to the study’s authors. “Gliese 486 b is not hot enough to be a lava world,” Trifon Trifonov and colleagues write, “but its temperature of 700700 Kelvin makes it suitable for diffusion spectroscopy and phase-loop studies in looking for air. ” Most exoplanets are detected using one of two indirect methods; motion photometry, which detects small differences in star brightness as a planet passes in front of it, or radial Doppler (RV) speed, which measures the “wobbling” of stars as a result of gravity orbiting planets. Although each method has been used to find a number of extraterrestrial worlds, on their own, they provide little information about the physical properties of a planet. However, in the rare cases where an exoplanet is found using both methods, a lot can be learned, including its mass, radius and density. By applying both, Trifonov and colleagues are present to discover the planet Gliese 486 b. Gliese 486 b is a terrestrial planet with an orbital time of 1.467 days around the star Gliese 486 – a nearby red dwarf about 26 light-years away. According to the authors, the hot rocky planet is slightly larger than the Earth (~ 1.3 times the Earth’s radius) but it is more than twice as large (~ 2.81 Earth’s mass). Gliese 486 b has the same density as Earth, suggesting that it has an iron-sillicate composition as on our home planet. In addition, the planet has an equilibrium temperature of around 700 Kelvin, which is just slightly colder than Venus and suitable for scattering and scattering spectroscopy. Coupled with its proximity and clarity and prominence with the use of telescopes anywhere on Earth, future studies could provide valuable insights into atmospheric features and potential. inhabit the distant planet.

###

Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! they are not responsible for the accuracy of press releases posted to EurekAlert! by sending institutions or for using any information through the EurekAlert system.

.Source