Astronomers have discovered a new planet orbiting Barnard’s star, the closest single star to our sun.
Using the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope (ESO’s VLT) in Chile, scientists found that this planet, named Barnard b, is about half the size of Venus and completes its orbit in just over three Earth days.
Barnard’s star is only six light-years away from us, making it the second-closest star system after Alpha Centauri.
It’s a key target for astronomers searching for planets similar to Earth. Despite earlier hints of a planet in 2018, this new discovery is the first confirmed planet orbiting Barnard’s star.
Barnard b orbits its star very closely—20 times closer than Mercury is to our sun.
Although Barnard’s star is much cooler than the sun, the planet’s surface is still extremely hot, reaching temperatures around 125°C, which makes it too hot to support liquid water.
Scientists have spent the last five years studying Barnard’s star to find planets, using an instrument called ESPRESSO. ESPRESSO can detect tiny movements of a star, caused by the gravitational pull of planets orbiting around it.
Other tools like HARPS and CARMENES also helped confirm the findings. Interestingly, the data from these observations did not support the earlier 2018 report about another possible planet around Barnard’s star.
In addition to Barnard b, researchers have found possible signs of three more planets around Barnard’s star, though more observations are needed to confirm them.
This discovery adds to the growing list of small planets found around nearby stars.
According to the research team, Barnard b is one of the smallest exoplanets ever discovered, and although it’s not in the habitable zone, it’s an exciting find for scientists exploring our cosmic neighborhood.
Looking ahead, a new telescope, the Extremely Large Telescope (ELT), is being built and will help astronomers find even more planets like Barnard b. With its advanced technology, scientists hope to detect more small, rocky planets in the habitable zones of nearby stars and even study their atmospheres.
This discovery reminds us that our galactic backyard is full of planets waiting to be found!
