The planet Gliese-12b, located relatively close to Earth, is approximately the same size as Venus. According to scientists, Gliese-12b has the potential to harbor life.
Scientists have discovered a new planet with the potential to support human life, and this planet is not too far away, relatively speaking. Named Gliese-12b, this planet is about the same size as Venus, often referred to as Earth’s twin, and it could help scientists learn more about other Earth-like planets in space.
Potentially Habitable Conditions on Gliese-12b
Gliese-12b is located relatively close to us and resides in the habitable zone of its host star. This means the conditions on its surface might be ideal for sustaining liquid water. Scientists detected Gliese-12b using NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) and supporting data from other observatories. They calculated its size, temperature, and movement.
Location and Characteristics of Gliese-12b
Gliese-12b is located in the constellation Pisces, approximately 40 light-years away, and it orbits a cold red dwarf star known as Gliese-12. While 40 light-years is very close on a cosmic scale, reaching it would take us about 300,000 years with our fastest spacecraft.
The temperature on Gliese-12b is around 42°C, suggesting it might be habitable. In fact, it is considered one of the few planets where humans could theoretically survive. The planet, similar in size to Venus, completes an orbit around its star every 12.8 days. Despite being very close to its star, the cold red dwarf Gliese-12 is only 27% the size of our Sun and about 60% as hot.
Future Research and Expectations
Data shows that the planet receives 1.6 times the energy from its star compared to what we receive from the Sun, or about 85% of what Venus receives. However, it is currently unknown whether Gliese-12b has an atmosphere. Therefore, Gliese-12b is seen as an excellent candidate for further studies using the James Webb Space Telescope. The next step for scientists is to examine the planet’s atmosphere to determine if it has similar properties to Earth’s atmosphere.