Exeter: Astronomers have discovered three possible ‘super-Earth’ planets orbiting a nearby orange dwarf star.
This discovery was made by a team of international researchers led by Dr. Shweta from the University of Exeter.
These planets orbit the star HD 48498, about 55 light-years from Earth, and complete one orbit around their host star in 7, 38, and 151 Earth days, respectively.
The team determined that the outermost exoplanets (planets outside the solar system are called exoplanets) reside in the habitable zone of their host star. This region is a region with a temperature where water can remain in a normal liquid state without boiling or freezing. This region, called Goldilocks, is thought to be ideal for potentially supporting life.
The researchers highlighted the significance of the discovery, saying that this orange star is somewhat similar to our Sun and represents the closest planetary system to host a super-Earth in the habitable zone around a Sun-like star.
The research findings were published in the journal MNRAS on June 24, 2024.
