Scientists have discovered a planet, named Barnard b, orbiting Barnard’s star, the closest star to Earth after Proxima Centauri. This sub-Earth planet, with a mass less than half of Venus, orbits its star extremely closely, completing a full orbit in just three Earth days. While exciting, its proximity to the star makes it unlikely to support life as we know it.
Astronomers have confirmed the existence of a planet, Barnard b, orbiting Barnard’s Star, a nearby red dwarf just six light-years away. This discovery, made using the ESPRESSO instrument on the Very Large Telescope, marks the first confirmed exoplanet around this star. While the planet is extremely close to its star, its surface temperature is surprisingly mild due to the star’s dimness. The researchers also detected hints of three additional potential planets in the system.
