Two rocky exoplanets have been found in a system just 33 light-years from Earth. These are some of the closest rocky planets that have been found to date.
The two planets are 1.2 and 1.5 times the size of our planet, but they are not suitable for habitation because of their high surface temperatures. The closest planet to the star is called HD 260655 b and it has a surface temperature of 832 degrees Fahrenheit.
It's difficult to estimate the surface temperature of exoplanets because they don't have an atmosphere. Venus is hotter on its surface than Mercury even though it is farther away from the sun.
To understand more about exoplanets, we need to measure their atmospheres, something which has historically been very difficult but will be possible with new tools.
These two planets are ideal for studying exoplanet atmospheres because they are close to us and the star around which they circle is bright.
The two planets in this system are considered to be the best targets for atmospheric study because of their star's brightness. There is a question about the atmosphere around these planets. There are signs of water or carbon based species. These planets are great testbeds for exploration.
James will be able to look at the light from a star and see the atmosphere of a planet. By splitting the light into a spectrum, researchers can see which wavelengths have been absorbed by Molecules, and that allows them to figure out what the atmosphere is made of.
There is no indication yet if the newly discovered planets have atmospheres or not, but they are intriguing targets for further investigation.
The research will be published in the journal Astronomy and Astrophysics after it was presented at the meeting of the American Astronomical Society.
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