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Astronomers have discovered a planet that is perfect for the search for extraterrestrial life

by Basil Bryan

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The exoplanet Gliese 12 b may turn out to be Earth’s twin, but in the orbit of a red dwarf.

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Australian and British astronomers using the specialised space telescopes TESS and CHEOPS were able to detect the intriguing exoplanet Gliese 12 b. It is only 40 light years away from us, making it one of the closest earth-like objects to us. Particularly interesting is the fact that this planet is in the habitable zone of its star.
At the centre of the Gliese 12 system is a red dwarf about a quarter the size of the Sun and with a surface temperature about half that of the Sun. But the planet Gliese 12 b is very close to its star. Its orbital period is 12.76 Earth days. So it receives 1.6 times more energy than Earth, but 15 per cent less than Venus.

The authors of the paper calculated that the average surface temperature of Gliese 12 b should be 42 degrees centigrade. This makes the planet attractive to study in terms of conditions suitable for sustaining life in the form we are accustomed to. Its size is the same as Earth’s. But much depends on the presence and density of the atmosphere.

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