UC Irvine Astronomers Unveil 3.84-Earth-Mass GJ 251 c as 18-Light-Year Imaging Target
Updated
Updated · spacedaily.com · Jul 9
UC Irvine Astronomers Unveil 3.84-Earth-Mass GJ 251 c as 18-Light-Year Imaging Target
1 articles · Updated · spacedaily.com · Jul 9
Summary
GJ 251 c orbits the red dwarf GJ 251 about 18 light-years from Earth, giving astronomers a nearby super-Earth candidate in the star’s habitable zone that could be studied by direct imaging.
Radial velocity data point to a 53.647-day orbit and a minimum mass of 3.84 Earth masses, placing the planet below the team’s five-Earth-mass rocky threshold and making it “plausibly terrestrial.”
More than two decades of measurements from 1997 to 2024, combined across HPF, NEID, HIRES, CARMENES and SPIRou, helped the team separate the planet’s signal from red-dwarf activity after testing more than 50 models.
The planet has not been photographed, and its radius, density and atmosphere remain unknown, so habitable-zone status does not show it has liquid water or Earth-like conditions.
Its proximity and favorable star-planet separation make it, by the paper’s account, the Northern Sky’s best current candidate for direct imaging of a terrestrial habitable-zone planet with next-generation giant telescopes.
With its giant telescope nearly complete, will Europe be first to analyze this new super-Earth's atmosphere?
Can giant new telescopes overcome delays to find alien atmospheres within the next decade?
Is this nearby super-Earth a potential cradle for life, or just another rock blasted by its star?
GJ 251 c: The Closest Habitable-Zone Super-Earth Candidate for Direct Imaging and the Search for Life
Overview
The discovery of GJ 251 c, a planet orbiting the nearby red dwarf star Gliese 251, represents a major milestone in the search for habitable exoplanets. Detailed in a recent scientific paper, this planet stands out because of its promising characteristics and location within the star’s habitable zone, making it a prime target for further study. Its proximity to Earth and potential to support life highlight its importance for future research, especially as new, powerful telescopes are developed to explore its atmosphere and search for signs of life beyond our solar system.