The POT focuses attention on an exoplanet that they describe as the closest to Earth that has ever been detected, one of those that have sizes similar to our world. Is called Gliese 12 B and it is 40 light years away. He was found with Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) and now they are going to use the wide lens of the James Webb Space Telescope to get a better look at it.
According to a US space agency report, Gliese 12 b orbits a red dwarf called Gliese 12, which is located in the constellation Pisces. So far, scientists have not detected the presence of an atmosphere, but they have not yet ruled it out.
About this massive star, Experts explain that it is only 27% the size of the Sun and 60% of its temperature, which means that temperatures of 42°C are recorded in this world.. It would be hot, like any common summer, but livable as far as temperature is concerned.
“We have found the closest transiting, temperate, Earth-sized world located to date. “Although we still don't know if it has an atmosphere, we have been thinking of it as an exo-Venus, with similar size and energy received from its star as our planetary neighbor in the solar system,” said research co-author Masayuki Kuzuhara, assistant professor. of the project at the Tokyo Astrobiology Center.
Scientists aren't hopeful that this will be a habitable world, but they haven't ruled it out yet. The main functionality they find in it, and the reason why they are going to observe it with the James Webb Space Telescope, is because it could reveal information about the formation of the atmosphere in our Solar System.
It is theorized that Venus had an atmosphere to support life, just as we do, but an astronomical event destroyed it. This exoplanet could give us clues about this astronomical event.
“The estimated size of Gliese 12 b may be as large as Earth or slightly smaller, comparable to Venus in our solar system,” NASA reported on its official website.