'Super Earth' may exist near the solar system

LHS 1140b giant rock planet concentrates many suitable conditions for life, only 39 light-years from Earth.

Scientists found a super-Earth that orbits a M dwarf star 39 years from the solar system. They called this rock planet LHS 1140b and found it could be formed in its current position in the same way as Earth, according to the International Business Times.

LHS 1140b orbits a cold dwarf star.(Photo: M. Weiss / CfA).

M dwarfs are typically 60% smaller than the Sun. They are the most popular stars in the Milky Way, accounting for 75% of the stars. When the Earth's massive transverse planets cross in front of this type of star, scientists can determine their position.

The study helped them discover the planet LHS 1140b moving around a small cold star in a circular orbit."We found this planet by transit method . When it passed between the star and the Earth, it blurred the light emitted from the star, we could measure the blur and the body. LHS 1140b, " said Jason Dittmann of Harvard Smithsonia Center for Astrophysics and team leader.

Using angle-radius measurements, scientists can learn some unique features of extraterrestrial planets. They calculated the LHS 1140b planet mass, which is 6.6 times larger than the Earth, suitable for the composition of rock.

They also discovered LHS 1140b received a light amount of 0.46 times Earth. In a 2013 study, another group of scientists found that the planet orbiting M dwarfs had surface temperatures that allowed liquid water to exist if the amount of light reached 0.2 to 0.8 times the light. projecting to the Sun from Earth.

Journey from Earth to LHS 1140b.

LHS 1140b is located in the habitable zone , the region around the parent star where the rock planet is most likely to have the most liquid water. This finding is quite special because LHS 1140b is a small cold star, not generating as much energy as other stars.

"The vast majority of exoplanets found previously revolved around active stars and that could affect the stability of latent organisms on their surfaces. The star that LHS 1140b spins the surroundings seem quite calm, so it will not destroy the atmosphere or anything on the planet's surface , " Dittmann explained.

"The next step is to find out whether the planet has an atmosphere and look for similarities to Earth like oxygen, CO2, ozone and water. We will need to study the planet's atmosphere before concluding. life may appear there or not , " Dittmann said.