An international team of astronomers has discovered a new solar system with a planet that could be habitable, a Spanish astrophysicist who led the research said Thursday.

Three new planets were discovered orbiting GJ 357, a red dwarf -- a small and cooling star -- 31 light years away, relatively close in space terms, said Rafael Luque of Spain's Institute of Astrophysics in the Canary Islands.

The discovery was also reported by NASA, whose TESS planet-hunting satellite made it possible.

The planet known as GJ 257d -- the furthest away from the star -- was particularly intriguing as researchers estimate it could be habitable. The other two are deemed too hot.

Signs of habitability in any planet include a rocky terrain, a size similar to Earth and a distance from their sun -- the temperate "Goldilocks" zone neither too close nor too far -- that allows the right temperature for liquid water, a key requirement for life.

Given its distance from its star, similar to that of Mars to our Sun, researchers estimate the planet has temperatures of -53 degrees Celsius (-63.4 Fahrenheit), Luque told AFP.

"That seems a little cold at first," he said.

But "if this planet had an atmosphere (unlike Mars), it could retain the heat it receives from its star, and water could be liquid."

Researchers also estimate GJ 257d could be roughly the same size as Earth or up to twice the size.

It is not the first potentially habitable planet to have been discovered close to us.

In 2016, the discovery of Proxima b at a mere four light years from the Solar System made waves.

But there is a hitch.

Proxima b and GJ 257d were discovered via so-called radial velocity, which involves looking for signs of a wobble in a star from the gravitational tug of an orbiting planet.

But Luque says the method is not precise enough to ascertain whether it actually is habitable.

As things stand, in order to measure its size, density and composition, the planet has to pass directly between its star and an observer, the so-called "transit" method, he says.

That has not been possible for Proxima b and other nearer potentially habitable planets, Luque says.

In the coming months, Luque and his team will be working to try and catch GJ 257d in "transit" to try and confirm it as a habitable planet.

"The probability that a planet passes in front of a star from our line of vision on Earth is pretty small," he adds.

Related Links
Lands Beyond Beyond - extra solar planets - news and science
Life Beyond Earth

Tweet

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only

Microbiologists uncover mechanisms of magnetic bacteria
Washington (UPI) Jul 31, 2019
New research has revealed the mechanics of a magnetic bacteria named Magnetospirillum gryphiswaldense. The unique species synchronizes its locomotion with the Earth's magnetic field using a chain of spiral-shaped magnetic crystals called magnetosomes. According to a new study conducted by researchers in Germany, published this week in the journal Nature Microbiology, the formation of the magnetic chain is controlled by a protein named MamY. Dozens of animals use Earth's magnetic f ... read more