Closest Earth Sized Exoplanet Is Found

On November 12th 2015, a team of scientists announced the discovery of what they are calling the closest rocky exoplanet ever found. The planet is named GJ 1132b, which is derived from the name of the star that it orbits. The star the planet orbits is 39 million light years away. The scientists say that this is important because it means that GJ 1132b is close enough that they can use telescopes to examine the chemistry of its atmosphere.

The planet, GJ 1132b orbits a red dwarf star in the constellation Vela, which can be found in the southern sky. GJ 1132b is about 16% larger than the Earth and orbits at 1.4m miles from its sun. This is closer than Mercury is to our sun which orbits at 39m miles. Scientists estimate that it has a surface temperature range between 278 degrees and 572 degrees. These temperatures are too hot for the planet's surface to retain water, so life there would be impossible.

The scientists are hoping that this planet has an atmosphere. The belief is that if it does have an atmosphere, it may be possible that they will find cooler planets just like it that orbit smaller stars and have atmospheres. GJ 1132b is tidally locked to its star, so that one side of the planet faces its sun, just as our moon is locked to the Earth. The team has already asked for more time on the Hubble and Spitzer space telescopes so they can examine the planet in more detail.