(ORDO NEWS) — Using the method of measuring radial velocity, an international team of astronomers has discovered two new exoplanets orbiting the M dwarf GJ 1002.
The planets have masses similar to that of the Earth, and are located in the habitable zone of the parent star.
A team of astronomers led by Alejandro Suárez Mascarenho of the University of La Laguna announced the discovery of two new planets as a result of measurements of the radial velocity of the M dwarf GJ 1002.
The observations that led to the discovery were made using the ESPRESSO and CARMENES spectrographs.
The discovered exoplanets are designated GJ 1002 b and GJ 1002 c. They orbit GJ 1002 within the habitable zone. The star is only 15.78 light years away.
According to the study, GJ 1002 b has a minimum mass of about 1.08 Earth masses.
It orbits its parent star every 10.35 days at a distance of about 0.0457 AU. The planet’s equilibrium temperature is estimated at 230.9 K.
GJ 1002 c appears to be slightly more massive than GJ 1002 b, as its minimum mass has been calculated as 1.36 Earth masses.
The exoplanet is located at about 0.074 AU. from the parent star, and its orbital period is 21.2 days. The equilibrium temperature of GJ 1002 c is at 181.7 K.
The astronomers added that it could be a good candidate for further characterization of the atmosphere.
The parent star GJ 1002 is a faint M dwarf of spectral type M5.5V. It has a radius of about 0.137 solar radii and its mass is approximately 0.12 solar masses.
The effective temperature of the star is 3024 K, and its metallicity is about -0.25.
The researchers noted that there may be additional Earth-mass planets in the habitable zone of GJ 1002.
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