Astronomers have discovered a new exoplanet in our solar system, located about 11 light-years away from Earth. The exoplanet, named GJ 3512b, is a gas giant about twice the size of Jupiter and orbits a star known as GJ 3512.
The discovery was made by a team of astronomers from the University of Hertfordshire in the UK, who used the High Accuracy Radial velocity Planet Searcher (HARPS) instrument at the European Southern Observatory in Chile.
The team used the HARPS instrument to measure the tiny wobbles in the star’s motion caused by the gravitational pull of the exoplanet. This allowed them to determine the mass and orbit of the exoplanet.
The team found that GJ 3512b orbits its star at a distance of about 1.3 astronomical units (AU), which is slightly closer than the distance between Earth and the Sun (1 AU). The exoplanet has an orbital period of about 5.8 days, which means it completes one orbit around its star every 5.8 days.
The team also found that GJ 3512b is a gas giant, with a mass about twice that of Jupiter. This means that it is likely to have a thick atmosphere and could potentially have moons.
The discovery of GJ 3512b is an exciting one, as it is the first exoplanet to be discovered in our solar system. It is also the closest exoplanet to Earth that has been discovered so far.
The team’s findings have been published in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics.
The discovery of GJ 3512b is an important step forward in our understanding of our solar system and the universe beyond. It is also a reminder of how much more there is to discover in the universe.