The conquest of space implies not only knowing outer space. Those who envision the future of humanity imagine colonies on distant planets. A candidate looms on the horizon: it would be the closest habitable planet to Earth.
A group of astronomers discovered three possible “super-Earth” exoplanets in orbit. They are around the orange dwarf star HD 48498 relatively close to Earth. The most distant planet is in the habitable zone. Where conditions are conducive to the potential existence of water.
55 light years away
This makes HD 48498 the closest planetary system with a “super-Earth” in the habitable zone of a Sun-like star. The system is located about 55 light years from Earth. Exoplanets have rotation periods around the parent star of 7, 38 and 151 Earth days. This pioneering discovery was made by an international team of researchers. They are led by Shweta Dalal, from the University of Exeter (United Kingdom).
These possible “super-Earths” are planets with a mass higher than that of Earth, but significantly lower than that of the ice giants of the solar system Uranus and Neptune. They were identified through the HARPS-N Rocky Planet Search program. Over a decade, the team collected nearly 190 high-precision radial velocity measurements using the HARPS-N spectrograph.
Radial velocity measurements track the subtle motions of the star caused by orbiting planets. And they are crucial in these types of discoveries. To ensure the accuracy of their findings, the team employed various methodologies and comparative analyses.
More planets
“This discovery highlights the importance of long-term monitoring. Using advanced techniques we can unlock the secrets of distant star systems. “We are eager to continue our observations and search for additional planets in the system,” says Dalal.
The closest habitable planet to Earth is far from a reality. For now, it’s a promise. The research was published in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society (MNRAS).
