Barnard’s star, our closest stellar neighbor located just six light-years away, has just gained a planetary companion. This newly discovered world, named Barnard b, is a sub-Earth planet, meaning it’s significantly less massive than Earth or Venus. Think of it as a smaller version of Mars or Mercury.
What makes Barnard b particularly interesting is its incredibly close orbit around its star. A year on this planet lasts just three Earth days! This means Barnard b zips around its star at a dizzying speed, much closer than Mercury is to our Sun. In fact, it’s 20 times closer than Mercury! This proximity, while making for a fast orbit, also means the planet’s surface temperature is a scorching 250 degrees Fahrenheit, making it unlikely to host liquid water, a key ingredient for life as we know it.
Despite the lack of potential for life, the discovery of Barnard b is a significant milestone in the search for planets beyond our solar system. It’s a testament to the remarkable advancements in astronomy that allow us to detect and study these distant worlds, expanding our understanding of the vast universe.
