Detecting a red super-Earth that is habitable and close to us-Information Technology

Around a faint red dwarf star named Ross 508 just 36.5 light-years away, scientists have found what could be an enlarged copy of Earth: Super-Earth Ross 508 b.

New research from astronomer Hiroki Harakawa from the operating team of the Subaru Telescope (located in Hawaii – USA) of the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ) shows that Ross 508 b is a promising planet. for the hunt for life.

Graphic image depicting the newly discovered crimson super-Earth – Photo: SMM/IAC

It’s a planet four times the mass of Earth, orbiting its crimson parent star every 10.75 days. It’s an incredibly narrow orbit relative to Earth, but because Ross 508 is a much cooler red dwarf star than the Sun, its close proximity inadvertently places the planet right next to the outer edge of its “habitable zone.” .

The “life zone” – Goldilocks – of a star is a region where the temperature and radiation conditions are suitable for liquid water and life has a chance to arise. But this region is also relative.

The habitable zone of the solar system has Venus, Earth and Mars inside, but the two planets near us seem unlikely to have modern life, while some of the moons of Jupiter, Saturn like Europa, Enceladus is outside the habitable zone, but there may be life, according to studies from NASA.

According to Science Alert, the new study makes Ross 508 b a good candidate, especially when measurements show that the radiation it receives from its parent star is only about 1.4 times the radiation that Earth receives from the Sun. – a level still acceptable for life, even ordinary life forms on Earth, especially if it is protected by a suitable atmosphere.

Several years ago, Ross 508 b was first observed by the same Subaru Telescope, with indications that it was a super-Earth. At the time, however, its habitability was ignored, because scientists thought a smaller, Earth-sized world would be more habitable.

Dr. Harakawa’s new research has been published online on arXiv and is set to be officially published in the next issue of the scientific journal Publications of the Astronomical Society of Japan.