HD 85512 b
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HD 85512 b is an extrasolar planet[1][2] orbiting the K-type star Gliese 370 approximately 36 light-years away in the constellation of Vela.
Due to its mass of at least 3.6 times the mass of Earth, HD 85512 b is classified as a super-Earth and is one of the smallest exo-planets discovered to be in the habitable zone.[2] HD 85512 b, along with Gliese 581 d is considered to be the best candidate for habitability as of August 25, 2011.[2][3]
Detection and discovery
The planet was discovered by the scientists at University of Geneva, Switzerland,[3][4] led by the Swiss astronomer Stéphane Udry[5] of the GTO program of High Accuracy Radial velocity Planet Searcher (HARPS), a high-precision echelle spectrograph installed on ESO's 3.6 m telescope at La Silla Observatory in Chile.[6]
Physical characteristics
On August 17, 2011, researchers released a study of the planet, concluding that HD 85512 b is the most habitable exoplanet discovered up to that point[2] and one of the most stable exo-planets discovered by the High Accuracy Radial Velocity Planet Searcher.[6] The planet has a minimum Earth mass of 3.6 ± 0.5, surface gravity of about 1.4 g and an estimated temperature of 298 K (25 °C or 77 °F) at the top of its atmosphere. The estimated temperature is noted to be similar to temperatures in Southern France,[6][7] but various atmospheric conditions prevalent in the planet have to be analyzed to estimate the temperature of the surface.[6] It orbits the parent star at a distance of about 0.26 AU,[3] with an orbital period of about 54 days.[3]
Habitability
For the temperature to be below 270 K, for a circular orbit, the planetary albedo should be 0.48 ± 0.05 and for an eccentricity of 0.11, the planetary albedo should be 0.52.[2] If the planet has 50% cloud cover, water may exist in liquid form on the planet[5] provided its atmosphere is similar to our own, thus making the planet habitable.[4][8][9] Also, if the albedo of the planet is increased due to cloud cover, water could be present in its liquid form on the planet, which would mean that the planet is on the edge of habitability.[2][9]
See also
References
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
arxiv1was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ a b c d e f Cite error: The named reference
arxivwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ a b c d "Researchers find potentially habitable planet" (in French). maxisciences.com. Retrieved 2011-08-31.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link) - ^ a b "Found a planet where life could exist" (in Lithuanian). maxisciences.com. Retrieved 2011-08-31.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link) - ^ a b "Super Earth circulating in ekosferze?" (in Polish). technologie.gazeta.pl. Retrieved 2011-08-31.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link) - ^ a b c d "HARPS: Hunting for Nearby Earth-like Planets". centauri-dreams.org. Retrieved 2011-08-25.
- ^ "Italian helps find planet that could sustain life". La Gazzetta del Mezzogiorno. September 2, 2011. Retrieved September 7, 2011.
- ^ "Exoplanet Looks Potentially Lively". scientificamerican.com. Retrieved 2011-08-25.
- ^ a b "Is There A Habitable Planet Circling HD 85512?". spaceref.com. Retrieved 2011-08-31.
External links
