In the constellation of Aquarius, at 12 parsecs (about 39 light years) from Earth, lies an ultracool dwarf star. The star 2MASS J23062928-0502285, known as TRAPPIST-1, is much cooler and redder than the Sun and barely larger than Jupiter. Using the TRAPPIST telescope at ESO’s La Silla Observatory, astronomers have discovered three planets orbiting the star. The planets have Earth-like sizes and two orbit just outside the inner edge of the star’s habitable zone, while the third is probably within or beyond the habitable zone. Future studies could reveal the mass and composition of the planets, and thus their ability to host life.
Credit:
ESO/IAU and Sky & Telescope/M. Kornmesser/N. Risinger
Temperate Earth-sized planets transiting a nearby ultracool dwarf starMichaël Gillon, Emmanuël Jehin, Susan M. Lederer, Laetitia Delrez, Julien de Wit, Artem Burdanov, Valérie Van Grootel, Adam J. Burgasser, Amaury H. M. J. Triaud, Cyrielle Opitom, Brice-Olivier Demory, Devendra K. Sahu, Daniella Bardalez Gagliuffi, Pierre Magain & Didier Queloz
Nature doi:10.1038/nature17448
