Super-Earth found just 18 light-years away may support life, say astronomers

New Super-Earth Found Just 18 Light-Years Away May Support Life. (Image: Canva)

Astronomers have found a nearby planet that could harbour life. The planet, GJ 251 c, is less than 20 light-years from Earth.

A Super-Earth That Could Be Habitable
The planet orbits a small red dwarf star and resides in its habitable zone, where water might be liquid if there is an atmosphere. Researchers say GJ 251 c is about four times heavier than Earth and likely rocky in nature. The finding was detailed in The Astronomical Journal this week.

The discovery was led by an international team that included scientists from Penn State University. Suvrath Mahadevan, Professor of Astronomy at Penn State, said planets like GJ 251 c are key in the search for extraterrestrial life.

How Did Scientists Find GJ 251 c?
The discovery followed two decades of patient monitoring with a variety of instruments, such as the Habitable-Zone Planet Finder (HPF) constructed at Penn State and the NEID spectrometer at Kitt Peak National Observatory in Arizona. Both devices monitor tiny shifts in a star's light that indicate the presence of orbiting worlds.

In this instance, astronomers detected a 54-day repeating signal from GJ 251, validating a second planet orbiting outside the known GJ 251 b. Roughly 18 light-years away in the constellation Gemini, GJ 251 c is one of the nearest habitable-zone planets discovered to date.

Future Steps in the Search for Life
While telescopes today are unable to take direct images of the planet, future 30-metre-class telescopes may be able to observe its atmosphere for indications of life, like oxygen or methane.

Mahadevan said the planet’s proximity offers an opportunity to eventually observe its light apart from its star.

The research team plans to continue monitoring the system as new telescopes become operational. Scientists believe GJ 251 c offers one of the best nearby chances to uncover evidence of life beyond our Solar System.