‘Super Earth’ 20 light years away could harbor alien life
Are they exo terrestrials?
Mars is apparently not the only planet on our radar capable of sustaining life. UK researchers have confirmed the existence of a “super-Earth” located 20 light-years away that could reveal the existence of extraterrestrial beings, per a cosmic study published in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics.
“I’m now very enthusiastic to hear what other scientists can tell us about this newly discovered planet,” Dr. Michael Cretignier — a scientist with Oxford University, who first detected the potential interstellar oasis in 2022 — said in a press release.
An international team then analyzed highly-precise measurements recorded over two decades by Chile’s HARPS (High Accuracy Radial Velocity Planet Searcher) spectrograph and its successor ESPRESSO to confirm that the unidentified object was an exo-planet, defined as a planet located beyond our solar system.
“It is among the closest Earth analogues we know about and given its peculiar orbit,” exclaimed Cretignier, who first detected the planet two years ago. Gabriel Pérez / IAC
Dubbed HD 20794 d, this cosmic body is reportedly six times the size of Earth, hence its nickname “super-Earth.” It orbits a G-star similar to the sun, which it takes 647 days to circumnavigate — 40 fewer than Mars does to circle the sun.
This celestial entity is of particular fascination to scientists because its trajectory places it in a habitable zone, meaning it is at the right distance from its star to sustain water on its surface.
“Excitingly, its proximity with us – only 20 light-years – means there is hope for future space missions to obtain an image of it,’ Cretignier told the Daily Mail.
Where there is water, there is the potential for life as they say.
“It is among the closest Earth analogues we know about and given its peculiar orbit,” Cretignier said.
An artist’s impression of the new planet HD 20794 d orbiting its star. Gabriel Pérez / IAC
One difference is that HD 20794 d is situated in an eccentric — rather than a circular — orbit, in which it oscillates in and out of the habitable zone, meaning any H20 would freeze or melt depending on where it is in its revolution.
This unique configuration allows researchers to adjust their theoretical models of the planet’s habitability.
Best of all, the exoplanet is located a mere 19.7 light-years away from us — a mere rock throw in interstellar terms — which makes the body easier to study because its light signals are more visible and stronger.
“Its luminosity and proximity makes it an ideal candidate for future telescopes whose mission will be to observe the atmospheres of exoplanets directly,” said study co-author Xavier Dumusque, a Senior Lecturer and researcher in the Department of Astronomy at the University of Geneva in Switzerland.
Despite being located in the habitable zone, it is too early to tell if HD 2079 d could actually house life.
“It’s important to remember that having a planet in the habitable zone is not sufficient at all to have life on it,” Cretignier told the Daily Mail. “Both Mars and Venus are inside the habitable zone of the sun, but I highly don’t recommend you to go there on holiday.”
Scientists still have a “long” checklist of questions to answer, such as whether the exoplanet has an atmosphere and if it has water on the surface.
While astronomers have detected over 7,000 exoplanets, the hunt for extraterrestrial lifeforms continues to elude us.
