According to the primary author of the study, Teegarden b and Teegarden c are the two most Earth-like planets ever discovered.
In the latest space news, astronomers believe they have just found the two most Earth-like planets in history, bringing the total number of potentially habitable exoplanets (planets outside the Solar System) to 19.
Orbiting a star in the Aries constellation, these two planets are just 12.5 light-years away from our Solar System (1 light-year equals approximately 5.88 trillion miles).
“These two planets closely resemble the rocky planets in our own Solar System. One of them may be the most Earth-like exoplanet humans have discovered so far,” said Mathias Zechmeister, an astrophysicist at the University of Göttingen, Germany.
“These planets are slightly larger than our Earth and are located in the habitable zone, where liquid water could exist,” added a physicist from the University of Göttingen.
Breakthrough in the Search for “Life-Sustaining Planets”
In 2003, the red dwarf star Teegarden in the Aries constellation was discovered by astronomers. Initially, data indicated that Teegarden was about 8 billion years old, approximately ten times lighter than our Sun, and one of the smallest stars known.
Despite being just over 12 light-years away from the Solar System, studying Teegarden and its planets posed a challenge. Typically, planets around similar stars are detected by observing the planets’ motion around their parent star.
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Teegarden is a red dwarf star located in the Aries constellation. Image: WALT FEIMER, NASA.
However, the dimness and lack of clear visibility of Teegarden prevented scientists from directly observing its planets. Consequently, astronomers had to utilize the next-generation CARMENES spectrograph (specifically designed for the Teegarden system) located at the Calar Alto Observatory in Spain to find planets around Teegarden.
CARMENES, located at the Calar Alto Observatory in Spain, enables researchers to detect any variations in the radial velocity of the small star.
After three years of intensive observations, scientists detected the existence of two planets named Teegarden b and Teegarden c.
According to the lead author of the study, these are the two most Earth-like planets ever discovered.
To ensure the validity of this discovery, researchers supplemented their observations with photometric data (light measurements) obtained from Teegarden.
Teegarden b and Teegarden c: Promising Candidates for “Earth 2.0” “The planets Teegarden b and c are the first planets discovered using the radial velocity method around such a cool dwarf star,” the research team stated.
“Both planets have a minimum mass close to that of Earth. They are predicted to have a radius similar to Earth and are composed of rock, some iron, or water.” Following their observations, international researchers revealed that Teegarden b is the innermost planet. It has a 60% chance of having a temperate surface environment with temperatures ranging from 0°C to 50°C, possibly even reaching 28°C. Teegarden c, on the other hand, orbits farther from Teegarden and has surface temperatures similar to Mars, around -47°C.
With masses similar to Earth and their proximity to the parent star (Teegarden), these two planets top the list of potentially habitable exoplanets. In fact, Teegarden b has achieved the highest Earth Similarity Index (ESI) to date.
Although this conclusion does not guarantee that either planet is habitable, it is a highly promising discovery. Mathias Zechmeister told The Guardian that if these planets possess atmospheres, life could potentially thrive there.
Lauren Weiss, an astrophysicist at the University of Hawaii who was not involved in the research, noted that some technical details still need verification. Nevertheless, she was impressed by the international team’s discovery.
While the research team predicts Teegarden b completes its orbit in 4.9 Earth days and Teegarden c takes 11.4 Earth days, Lauren Weiss argued that the planets’ journey may be faster, reducing their chances of being in the habitable zone.
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The potential for supporting life on Teegarden b and c is making scientists more excited than ever. Image: dottedyeti/Adobe Stock.
With this discovery, Teegarden, the 24th nearest star to the Sun, is becoming a prominent candidate for future research. The potential for sustaining life on these planets has scientists more excited than ever.