Astronomers Discover Four Tiny Planets Orbiting Barnard's Star

Astronomers have found four small planets orbiting Barnard's Star, the second-closest star system to Earth. These planets are too close to the star to be habitable. This breakthrough discovery highlights advancements in astronomical instruments, allowing us to detect smaller planets and enhancing our understanding of M dwarf star systems.

In a groundbreaking development, astronomers have identified not just one but four small planets circling Barnard's Star, the second-nearest stellar system to our planet. These newly discovered planets, ranging from 20 to 30 percent the mass of Earth, orbit extremely close to their host star, completing their revolutions in mere days. Consequently, they are likely too hot to support life, but their existence marks a significant milestone in the quest to identify smaller celestial bodies around stars within our cosmic neighborhood.

Ritvik Basant, a Ph.D. student at the University of Chicago and lead author of the study, expressed his excitement about the discovery, which underscores the precision achieved with the latest generation of astronomical instruments. This revelation builds on a previous investigation from last November that utilized a different telescope to detect one planet and suggested the presence of others around Barnard's Star.

The study, featuring contributions from scientists associated with the Gemini Observatory, the National Science Foundation's NOIRLab, Heidelberg University, and the University of Amsterdam, was published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters on March 11. Barnard's Star, first discovered in 1916, has long been studied for potential orbiting planets, and its similarity to our solar system configuration makes it particularly intriguing. Recent efforts, including those by UChicago Professor Jacob Bean's team and their MAROON-X instrument, have employed innovative techniques to detect these distant worlds, despite challenges posed by their minuscule size and proximity to their brilliant host star.

(With inputs from agencies.)