Astronomers discover new solar system closest to Earth with multiple planets

18 Oct 2019

Astronomers discover new solar system closest to Earth with multiple planets

Astronomers discover new solar system closest to Earth with multiple planetsWe have read about the possibility of better conditions for life on exoplanets.

Now, astronomers have discovered a solar system with multiple planets, which is closest to Earth - the GJ 15 A star system.

The GJ 15 A star/solar system has two planets which orbit a red star and is just 11 light-years away from Earth.
 	The star is much smaller and cooler compared to our own Sun.
 	They have named the two planets in the GJ 15 A solar system as GJ 15 A b and c and they were entered into NASA's Exoplanet Archive on 10 October 2019.

Details about the planets in GJ 15 A solar system

Planet b

Planet c

Closest to its host star
On the opposite side of the spectrum

Completes a quick orbit of the star every 11 Earth days
Completes one orbit after every 20 Earth years

Extremely hot
Likely very cold

3 times the mass of Earth
36 times the mass of Earth

These new entries take the total number of confirmed exoplanets to 4,073.

Another solar system,  the Alpha Centauri system is actually nearer to Earth (only 4.3 light-years) away but it has only one exoplanet, called Proxima B.

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