A team Astronomers at the University of Montreal have discovered a new potentially habitable exoplanet that orbits the Earth’s red dwarf star L 98-59. This discovery means that there are now five confirmed planets in the “temperature” or “habitable” region of the solar system, which may be in the solar system where liquid water may exist on the planet’s surface.
The newly discovered planet, known as “L 98-59 F”, managed to escape previous observations as it did not spread between the Earth and the stars, was called “transit”. Planets far from the host star are easier to spot because telescopes can see the mini photography they create as they pass through the stellar face.
Research on announcing Earth’s Discovery – Waiting for Publication Astronomy Magazine– Place the Earth on the planet through subtle changes in the movement of its host star. The planet applies gravity to the host as it rotates, moving the star’s position slightly. Even if the planets are not visible, these movements can reveal existence.
L 98-59’s revealing movement was picked up through two instruments designed specifically for planetary hunting: a high-precision harp spectrometer installed on the Southern European Observatory (ESO) telescope, and the Chile parevoration chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile in Chile
According to the amount of solar energy they receive, the five exoplanets of L 98-59 are compared with the first three planets of the solar system.Provided by O. Demangeon/European Southern Observatory
L 98-59 F stands out from other planets in the solar system as it receives similar solar energy to reach Earth. According to Montreal researchers, if it has the right atmosphere, it could be a temperate planet that can retain liquid water on its surface.
In addition to allowing the presence of liquid water, habitable areas of the solar system are areas where planetary conditions may allow the development of life. Each star has its own habitable zone, determined by its type and the amount of energy it emits.
The L 98-59 galaxy is gradually attracting the attention of astronomy enthusiasts. Each confirmed exoplanet is as attractive as others and is in a habitable belt. The closest planet to a star is half the size of Venus, but the Earth is 85%. The second one is 2.5 times higher than our planet. The third one is probably 30% of the ocean. Very little is known about the fourth time, except that it is also a “super Earth”, a term used to describe larger than our own planets but smaller than the ice giants in our solar system.
Currently, there are no images of 98-59 f. The next step will be to use the advanced technology of the James Webb Space Telescope to capture its direct images.
“These results confirm that L 98-59 is one of the most compelling systems nearby exploring the diversity of rocky planets and ultimately looking for signs of life,” a statement released by the University of Montreal said.
In terms of complexity and exoplanet count, only other known stellar systems are similar: Trappist-1, 39 light-years away from Earth. It is a superdwarf with at least seven rock exoplanets, three of which are in habitable areas.
This story originally appeared in wired español and has been translated into Spanish.
