Gliese 12b : Exoplanet
Using NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) and many other telescopes, two teams of astronomers have discovered a temperate, Earth-sized exoplanet named Gliese 12b.
- Gliese 12b is a newly discovered temperate, Earth-sized exoplanet orbiting a cool red dwarf called Gliese 12, located in the constellation Pisces.
- Red dwarfs have lower luminosity, which means their habitable zones are much closer to the star.
- Gliese 12 is about 27% the size of our sun and 60% of its temperature.
- Gliese 12 b is located 40 light-years away, which is relatively close in astronomical terms.
- Since its star is so much smaller than the sun, Gliese 12b still falls within the habitable zone—the ideal distance away from a star where liquid water can exist—even though it completes its orbit every 12.8 days.
- Gliese 12 b is roughly the size of Earth or slightly smaller, making it comparable to Venus.
- This similarity in size makes Gliese 12 b an excellent subject for studying rocky planets.
- Its mass is approximately 3.87 times that of Earth.
- It receives 1.6 times more energy from its star than Earth does from the Sun, and about 85% of what Venus experiences.
- The estimated surface temperature of Gliese 12 b is 107°F (42°C), assuming it has no atmosphere.
Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS):
- It is a NASA mission to discover exoplanets around nearby bright stars.
- It was launched on April 18, 2018, aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket out of Cape Canaveral.
- Orbit: TESS circles Earth in a unique high Earth orbitof 12 to 15 days, which is inclined in a way that the telescope’s sky view is largely free from obstructions by our bright planet and the Moon.
- The prime mission ended on July 4, 2020, and TESS is now on an extended mission.
- TESS is finding planets ranging from small, rocky worlds to giant planets, showcasing the diversity of planets in the galaxy.
