Four small planets discovered around one of the closest stars to Earth \u2013 an expert explains what we know<\/title>\n <style>\n :root {\n --primary: #00788C;\n --accent: #B9E3E3;\n --dark: #244B5A;\n --text: #000000;\n --background: #FFFFFF;\n --section-gap: 2rem;\n --border-radius: 8px;\n }\n \n * {\n margin: 0;\n padding: 0;\n box-sizing: border-box;\n }\n \n body {\n font-family: 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif;\n background-color: var(--background);\n color: var(--text);\n line-height: 1.5;\n padding: 0;\n margin: 0;\n font-size: 0.95rem;\n }\n \n .infographic-container {\n max-width: 100%;\n margin: 0 auto;\n overflow-x: hidden;\n }\n \n header {\n background-color: var(--primary);\n color: white;\n padding: 2rem 1rem;\n text-align: center;\n }\n \n h1 {\n font-size: 2rem;\n margin-bottom: 0.75rem;\n line-height: 1.2;\n }\n \n .subtitle {\n font-size: 1rem;\n opacity: 0.9;\n }\n \n .sections-container {\n display: flex;\n flex-direction: column;\n 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center;\n }\n \n .silhouette-label {\n color: white;\n background: var(--primary);\n padding: 0.25rem 0.5rem;\n border-radius: 4px;\n position: absolute;\n font-size: 0.75rem;\n }\n \n .woman-pendant {\n top: 60px;\n right: -60px;\n }\n \n .woman-laurel {\n top: 100px;\n right: -60px;\n }\n \n .man-toga {\n top: 80px;\n left: -60px;\n }\n \n \/* Responsive styles *\/\n @media (min-width: 768px) {\n .infographic-container {\n max-width: 980px;\n margin: 0 auto;\n }\n \n header {\n padding: 3rem 2rem;\n }\n \n h1 {\n font-size: 2.4rem;\n }\n \n .sections-container {\n padding: 2rem 1.5rem;\n }\n \n .section {\n padding: 2rem;\n }\n \n .section-header {\n font-size: 1.6rem;\n }\n \n .callouts-container {\n flex-direction: row;\n flex-wrap: wrap;\n }\n \n .callout-item {\n flex: 1;\n min-width: 200px;\n }\n \n .timeline {\n flex-direction: row;\n justify-content: space-between;\n padding: 2rem 0;\n }\n \n .timeline:before {\n display: block;\n }\n \n .timeline-event {\n flex-direction: column;\n width: 30%;\n position: relative;\n margin-bottom: 0;\n }\n \n .timeline-event:before {\n content: '';\n position: absolute;\n top: -10px;\n left: 50%;\n width: 20px;\n height: 20px;\n background-color: var(--primary);\n border-radius: 50%;\n transform: translateX(-50%);\n }\n \n .timeline-year {\n margin-bottom: 0.5rem;\n text-align: center;\n }\n }\n <\/style>\n<\/head>\n<body>\n <div class=\"infographic-container\">\n <header>\n <h1 id=\"four-small-planets-discovered-around-one-of-the-closest-stars-to-earth-an-expert-explains-what-we-know\">Four small planets discovered around one of the closest stars to Earth \u2013 an expert explains what we know<\/h1>\n <div class=\"subtitle\">Exploring one of our closest cosmic neighbors<\/div>\n <\/header>\n\n <div class=\"sections-container\">\n <div class=\"section\">\n <h2 id=\"a-quiet-neighbor-in-the-cosmos\" class=\"section-header\">A Quiet Neighbor in the Cosmos<\/h2>\n <div class=\"section-content\">\n <p class=\"summary\">\n Barnard\u2019s Star is one of the closest stars to Earth\u2014just six light-years away\u2014but too faint to see without a telescope. It\u2019s a red dwarf, smaller than the Sun and closer in size to Jupiter.\n <\/p>\n <div class=\"visual-cue\">\n <div style=\"height: 400px; background-color: var(--dark); border-radius: var(--border-radius); margin-bottom: 1rem; display: flex; justify-content: center; align-items: center; color: white;\">\n <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABAQMAAAAl21bKAAAAA1BMVEUAAP+KeNJXAAAAAXRSTlMAQObYZgAAAAlwSFlzAAAOxAAADsQBlSsOGwAAAApJREFUCNdjYAAAAAIAAeIhvDMAAAAASUVORK5CYII=\" alt=\"Scale comparison of Barnard\u2019s Star, Sun, and Jupiter\" class=\" pk-lazyload\" data-pk-sizes=\"auto\" data-pk-src=\"https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/4\/43\/Barnard%27sStarSize_en.jpg\/960px-Barnard%27sStarSize_en.jpg\" >\n <\/div>\n Scale comparison of Barnard\u2019s Star, Sun, and Jupiter\n<div class=\"image-attribution\"><p class=\"attribution\">“<a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/w\/index.php?curid=39653456\" target=\"_blank\">Barnard'sStarSize en<\/a>” by <a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=User:Marskell&action=edit&redlink=1\" target=\"_blank\">Marskell, Poppy, User:Richard-59<\/a> is licensed under <a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/3.0\/?ref=openverse\" target=\"_blank\">CC BY-SA 3.0 <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABAQMAAAAl21bKAAAAA1BMVEUAAP+KeNJXAAAAAXRSTlMAQObYZgAAAAlwSFlzAAAOxAAADsQBlSsOGwAAAApJREFUCNdjYAAAAAIAAeIhvDMAAAAASUVORK5CYII=\" style=\"height: 1em; margin-right: 0.125em; display: inline;\" class=\" pk-lazyload\" data-pk-sizes=\"auto\" data-pk-src=\"https:\/\/mirrors.creativecommons.org\/presskit\/icons\/cc.svg\" ><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABAQMAAAAl21bKAAAAA1BMVEUAAP+KeNJXAAAAAXRSTlMAQObYZgAAAAlwSFlzAAAOxAAADsQBlSsOGwAAAApJREFUCNdjYAAAAAIAAeIhvDMAAAAASUVORK5CYII=\" style=\"height: 1em; margin-right: 0.125em; display: inline;\" class=\" pk-lazyload\" data-pk-sizes=\"auto\" data-pk-src=\"https:\/\/mirrors.creativecommons.org\/presskit\/icons\/by.svg\" ><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABAQMAAAAl21bKAAAAA1BMVEUAAP+KeNJXAAAAAXRSTlMAQObYZgAAAAlwSFlzAAAOxAAADsQBlSsOGwAAAApJREFUCNdjYAAAAAIAAeIhvDMAAAAASUVORK5CYII=\" style=\"height: 1em; margin-right: 0.125em; display: inline;\" class=\" pk-lazyload\" data-pk-sizes=\"auto\" data-pk-src=\"https:\/\/mirrors.creativecommons.org\/presskit\/icons\/sa.svg\" ><\/a>.<\/p><\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"section\">\n <h2 id=\"finding-the-unseeable\" class=\"section-header\">Finding the Unseeable<\/h2>\n <div class=\"section-content\">\n <p class=\"summary\">\n Astronomers detected four planets orbiting Barnard\u2019s Star using high-precision spectrographs. These instruments detect the tiny wobbles in the star\u2019s motion caused by the planets\u2019 gravity.\n <\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"section\">\n <h2 id=\"the-challenge-of-stellar-activity\" class=\"section-header\">The Challenge of Stellar Activity<\/h2>\n <div class=\"section-content\">\n <p class=\"summary\">\n Red dwarf stars have intense magnetic storms that can mimic planet signals. Scientists must calibrate data carefully to avoid false positives.\n <\/p>\n <div class=\"callout-quote\">Magnetic activity from stars can look like planetary tugs.<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"section\">\n <h2 id=\"two-teams-two-telescopes-one-answer\" class=\"section-header\">Two Teams, Two Telescopes, One Answer<\/h2>\n <div class=\"section-content\">\n <p class=\"summary\">\n Two independent teams\u2014one in Europe and one in the U.S.\u2014confirmed the four planets by combining seven years of data from different instruments: ESPRESSO and Maroon-X.\n <\/p>\n <div class=\"timeline\">\n <div class=\"timeline-event\">\n <div class=\"timeline-year\">2020<\/div>\n <div>Start of observations<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"timeline-event\">\n <div class=\"timeline-year\">2024<\/div>\n <div>First team reports 4 candidates<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"timeline-event\">\n <div class=\"timeline-year\">2025<\/div>\n <div>Second team confirms 3, joint data validates all 4<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"section\">\n <h2 id=\"rocky-worlds-on-the-edge\" class=\"section-header\">Rocky Worlds on the Edge<\/h2>\n <div class=\"section-content\">\n <p class=\"summary\">\n The four planets orbit tightly around Barnard\u2019s Star, taking just 2 to 7 days to complete a year. They are likely smaller than Earth, rocky, and too hot for liquid water.\n <\/p>\n <div class=\"callout-quote\">Shortest year: 2 Earth days \u2022 Longest: 7 Earth days<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"section\">\n <h2 id=\"no-transits-no-sizes\" class=\"section-header\">No Transits, No Sizes<\/h2>\n <div class=\"section-content\">\n <p class=\"summary\">\n Because these planets don\u2019t pass between the star and Earth (i.e., don\u2019t transit), scientists can\u2019t directly measure their size or atmospheres\u2014yet.\n <\/p>\n <div class=\"callout-quote\">Without transits, size and composition are hard to determine.<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"section\">\n <h2 id=\"red-dwarfs-are-planet-factories\" class=\"section-header\">Red Dwarfs Are Planet Factories<\/h2>\n <div class=\"section-content\">\n <p class=\"summary\">\n Red dwarfs are the most common stars in the galaxy, and most seem to have planets. This suggests there may be more planets than stars in the Milky Way.\n <\/p>\n <div class=\"visual-cue\">\n <div style=\"height: 400px; background-color: var(--dark); border-radius: var(--border-radius); margin-bottom: 1rem; display: flex; justify-content: center; align-items: center; color: white;\">\n <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABAQMAAAAl21bKAAAAA1BMVEUAAP+KeNJXAAAAAXRSTlMAQObYZgAAAAlwSFlzAAAOxAAADsQBlSsOGwAAAApJREFUCNdjYAAAAAIAAeIhvDMAAAAASUVORK5CYII=\" alt=\"Artist\u2019s impression of the surface of a super-Earth orbiting Barnard\u2019s Star\" class=\" pk-lazyload\" data-pk-sizes=\"auto\" data-pk-src=\"https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/4\/42\/Artist%E2%80%99s_impression_of_the_surface_of_a_super-Earth_orbiting_Barnard%E2%80%99s_Star.jpg\/960px-Artist%E2%80%99s_impression_of_the_surface_of_a_super-Earth_orbiting_Barnard%E2%80%99s_Star.jpg\" >\n <\/div>\n Artist\u2019s impression of the surface of a super-Earth orbiting Barnard\u2019s Star\n<div class=\"image-attribution\"><p class=\"attribution\">“<a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/w\/index.php?curid=74405258\" target=\"_blank\">Artist\u2019s impression of the surface of a super-Earth orbiting Barnard\u2019s Star<\/a>” by ESO\/M. Kornmesser is licensed under <a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/?ref=openverse\" target=\"_blank\">CC BY 4.0 <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABAQMAAAAl21bKAAAAA1BMVEUAAP+KeNJXAAAAAXRSTlMAQObYZgAAAAlwSFlzAAAOxAAADsQBlSsOGwAAAApJREFUCNdjYAAAAAIAAeIhvDMAAAAASUVORK5CYII=\" style=\"height: 1em; margin-right: 0.125em; display: inline;\" class=\" pk-lazyload\" data-pk-sizes=\"auto\" data-pk-src=\"https:\/\/mirrors.creativecommons.org\/presskit\/icons\/cc.svg\" ><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABAQMAAAAl21bKAAAAA1BMVEUAAP+KeNJXAAAAAXRSTlMAQObYZgAAAAlwSFlzAAAOxAAADsQBlSsOGwAAAApJREFUCNdjYAAAAAIAAeIhvDMAAAAASUVORK5CYII=\" style=\"height: 1em; margin-right: 0.125em; display: inline;\" class=\" pk-lazyload\" data-pk-sizes=\"auto\" data-pk-src=\"https:\/\/mirrors.creativecommons.org\/presskit\/icons\/by.svg\" ><\/a>.<\/p><\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"section\">\n <h2 id=\"eyes-on-the-habitable-zone\" class=\"section-header\">Eyes on the Habitable Zone<\/h2>\n <div class=\"section-content\">\n <p class=\"summary\">\n Most discovered planets are close-in because they\u2019re easier to detect. ESA\u2019s Plato mission (launching 2026) aims to find planets farther out\u2014possibly like Earth.\n <\/p>\n <div class=\"callout-quote\">Plato may show us if our solar system is rare\u2026 or typical.<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n <footer>\n Based on the article by Coel Hellier, Professor of Astrophysics, Keele University\n<div class=\"footer-attribution\">\n Adapted from an article by <a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/profiles\/coel-hellier-460658\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Coel Hellier<\/a>, originally published on <a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/four-small-planets-discovered-around-one-of-the-closest-stars-to-earth-an-expert-explains-what-we-know-252075\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Conversation<\/a>, under <a href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nd\/4.0\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">CC BY-ND 4.0<\/a>. Changes made.\n <\/div>\n <\/footer>\n <\/div>\n<\/body>\n<\/html>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Four small planets discovered around one of the closest stars to Earth \u2013 an expert explains what we…\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":14514,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/pixvid.org\/images\/2025\/05\/16\/244e64011ec8468480dd2b67eec8ae6a.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[14,10339],"tags":[6609,6611,6600,6608,6612,6602,4680,6614,4667,6601,6616,4683,6619,6615,6597,6603,6599,6605,6613,903,4675,6607,6618,4658,6606,6598,6617,6610,6604,10008],"class_list":{"0":"post-14420","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-space","8":"category-the-viewpoint","9":"tag-astronomical-research","10":"tag-astronomy-news","11":"tag-barnards-star","12":"tag-espresso-spectrograph","13":"tag-european-space-agency-plato-mission","14":"tag-exoplanet-atmospheres","15":"tag-exoplanet-discovery","16":"tag-exoplanet-research","17":"tag-extrasolar-planets","18":"tag-gemini-north-telescope","19":"tag-gravitational-tug","20":"tag-habitable-zone","21":"tag-maroon-x-instrument","22":"tag-maunakea-observatory","23":"tag-nearby-star-systems","24":"tag-planet-formation","25":"tag-planetary-detection","26":"tag-planetary-orbits","27":"tag-planetary-system-formation","28":"tag-protoplanetary-disk","29":"tag-radial-velocity-method","30":"tag-red-dwarf-star","31":"tag-rocky-exoplanets","32":"tag-space-exploration","33":"tag-space-observation","34":"tag-spectrograph-instruments","35":"tag-stellar-magnetic-activity","36":"tag-transit-method","37":"tag-very-large-telescope","38":"tag-viewpoint","39":"cs-entry","40":"cs-video-wrap"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/modernsciences.org\/staging\/4414\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14420","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/modernsciences.org\/staging\/4414\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/modernsciences.org\/staging\/4414\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/modernsciences.org\/staging\/4414\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/modernsciences.org\/staging\/4414\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14420"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/modernsciences.org\/staging\/4414\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14420\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14681,"href":"https:\/\/modernsciences.org\/staging\/4414\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14420\/revisions\/14681"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/modernsciences.org\/staging\/4414\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14514"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/modernsciences.org\/staging\/4414\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14420"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/modernsciences.org\/staging\/4414\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14420"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/modernsciences.org\/staging\/4414\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14420"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}

{"id":14420,"date":"2025-05-11T22:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-05-11T22:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/modernsciences.org\/staging\/4414\/?p=14420"},"modified":"2025-05-16T04:53:00","modified_gmt":"2025-05-16T04:53:00","slug":"exoplanet-discovery-barnards-star-red-dwarf-habitable-zone-astronomy-research-viewpoint-april-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/modernsciences.org\/staging\/4414\/exoplanet-discovery-barnards-star-red-dwarf-habitable-zone-astronomy-research-viewpoint-april-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"The Viewpoint: Four small planets discovered around one of the closest stars to Earth \u2013 an expert explains what we know"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n\n \n \n Four small planets discovered around one of the closest stars to Earth \u2013 an expert explains what we know<\/title>\n <style>\n :root {\n --primary: #00788C;\n --accent: #B9E3E3;\n --dark: #244B5A;\n --text: #000000;\n --background: #FFFFFF;\n --section-gap: 2rem;\n --border-radius: 8px;\n }\n 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.man-toga {\n top: 80px;\n left: -60px;\n }\n \n \/* Responsive styles *\/\n @media (min-width: 768px) {\n .infographic-container {\n max-width: 980px;\n margin: 0 auto;\n }\n \n header {\n padding: 3rem 2rem;\n }\n \n h1 {\n font-size: 2.4rem;\n }\n \n .sections-container {\n padding: 2rem 1.5rem;\n }\n \n .section {\n padding: 2rem;\n }\n \n .section-header {\n font-size: 1.6rem;\n }\n \n .callouts-container {\n flex-direction: row;\n flex-wrap: wrap;\n }\n \n .callout-item {\n flex: 1;\n min-width: 200px;\n }\n \n .timeline {\n flex-direction: row;\n justify-content: space-between;\n padding: 2rem 0;\n }\n \n .timeline:before {\n display: block;\n }\n \n .timeline-event {\n flex-direction: column;\n width: 30%;\n position: relative;\n margin-bottom: 0;\n }\n \n .timeline-event:before {\n content: '';\n position: absolute;\n top: -10px;\n left: 50%;\n width: 20px;\n height: 20px;\n background-color: var(--primary);\n border-radius: 50%;\n transform: translateX(-50%);\n }\n \n .timeline-year {\n margin-bottom: 0.5rem;\n text-align: center;\n }\n }\n <\/style>\n<\/head>\n<body>\n <div class=\"infographic-container\">\n <header>\n <h1 id=\"four-small-planets-discovered-around-one-of-the-closest-stars-to-earth-an-expert-explains-what-we-know\">Four small planets discovered around one of the closest stars to Earth \u2013 an expert explains what we know<\/h1>\n <div class=\"subtitle\">Exploring one of our closest cosmic neighbors<\/div>\n <\/header>\n\n <div class=\"sections-container\">\n <div class=\"section\">\n <h2 id=\"a-quiet-neighbor-in-the-cosmos\" class=\"section-header\">A Quiet Neighbor in the Cosmos<\/h2>\n <div class=\"section-content\">\n <p class=\"summary\">\n Barnard\u2019s Star is one of the closest stars to Earth\u2014just six light-years away\u2014but too faint to see without a telescope. It\u2019s a red dwarf, smaller than the Sun and closer in size to Jupiter.\n <\/p>\n <div class=\"visual-cue\">\n <div style=\"height: 400px; background-color: var(--dark); border-radius: var(--border-radius); margin-bottom: 1rem; display: flex; justify-content: center; align-items: center; color: white;\">\n <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABAQMAAAAl21bKAAAAA1BMVEUAAP+KeNJXAAAAAXRSTlMAQObYZgAAAAlwSFlzAAAOxAAADsQBlSsOGwAAAApJREFUCNdjYAAAAAIAAeIhvDMAAAAASUVORK5CYII=\" alt=\"Scale comparison of Barnard\u2019s Star, Sun, and Jupiter\" class=\" pk-lazyload\" data-pk-sizes=\"auto\" data-pk-src=\"https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/4\/43\/Barnard%27sStarSize_en.jpg\/960px-Barnard%27sStarSize_en.jpg\" >\n <\/div>\n Scale comparison of Barnard\u2019s Star, Sun, and Jupiter\n<div class=\"image-attribution\"><p class=\"attribution\">“<a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/w\/index.php?curid=39653456\" target=\"_blank\">Barnard'sStarSize en<\/a>” by <a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=User:Marskell&action=edit&redlink=1\" target=\"_blank\">Marskell, Poppy, User:Richard-59<\/a> is licensed under <a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/3.0\/?ref=openverse\" target=\"_blank\">CC BY-SA 3.0 <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABAQMAAAAl21bKAAAAA1BMVEUAAP+KeNJXAAAAAXRSTlMAQObYZgAAAAlwSFlzAAAOxAAADsQBlSsOGwAAAApJREFUCNdjYAAAAAIAAeIhvDMAAAAASUVORK5CYII=\" style=\"height: 1em; margin-right: 0.125em; display: inline;\" class=\" pk-lazyload\" data-pk-sizes=\"auto\" data-pk-src=\"https:\/\/mirrors.creativecommons.org\/presskit\/icons\/cc.svg\" ><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABAQMAAAAl21bKAAAAA1BMVEUAAP+KeNJXAAAAAXRSTlMAQObYZgAAAAlwSFlzAAAOxAAADsQBlSsOGwAAAApJREFUCNdjYAAAAAIAAeIhvDMAAAAASUVORK5CYII=\" style=\"height: 1em; margin-right: 0.125em; display: inline;\" class=\" pk-lazyload\" data-pk-sizes=\"auto\" data-pk-src=\"https:\/\/mirrors.creativecommons.org\/presskit\/icons\/by.svg\" ><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABAQMAAAAl21bKAAAAA1BMVEUAAP+KeNJXAAAAAXRSTlMAQObYZgAAAAlwSFlzAAAOxAAADsQBlSsOGwAAAApJREFUCNdjYAAAAAIAAeIhvDMAAAAASUVORK5CYII=\" style=\"height: 1em; margin-right: 0.125em; display: inline;\" class=\" pk-lazyload\" data-pk-sizes=\"auto\" data-pk-src=\"https:\/\/mirrors.creativecommons.org\/presskit\/icons\/sa.svg\" ><\/a>.<\/p><\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"section\">\n <h2 id=\"finding-the-unseeable\" class=\"section-header\">Finding the Unseeable<\/h2>\n <div class=\"section-content\">\n <p class=\"summary\">\n Astronomers detected four planets orbiting Barnard\u2019s Star using high-precision spectrographs. These instruments detect the tiny wobbles in the star\u2019s motion caused by the planets\u2019 gravity.\n <\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"section\">\n <h2 id=\"the-challenge-of-stellar-activity\" class=\"section-header\">The Challenge of Stellar Activity<\/h2>\n <div class=\"section-content\">\n <p class=\"summary\">\n Red dwarf stars have intense magnetic storms that can mimic planet signals. Scientists must calibrate data carefully to avoid false positives.\n <\/p>\n <div class=\"callout-quote\">Magnetic activity from stars can look like planetary tugs.<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"section\">\n <h2 id=\"two-teams-two-telescopes-one-answer\" class=\"section-header\">Two Teams, Two Telescopes, One Answer<\/h2>\n <div class=\"section-content\">\n <p class=\"summary\">\n Two independent teams\u2014one in Europe and one in the U.S.\u2014confirmed the four planets by combining seven years of data from different instruments: ESPRESSO and Maroon-X.\n <\/p>\n <div class=\"timeline\">\n <div class=\"timeline-event\">\n <div class=\"timeline-year\">2020<\/div>\n <div>Start of observations<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"timeline-event\">\n <div class=\"timeline-year\">2024<\/div>\n <div>First team reports 4 candidates<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"timeline-event\">\n <div class=\"timeline-year\">2025<\/div>\n <div>Second team confirms 3, joint data validates all 4<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"section\">\n <h2 id=\"rocky-worlds-on-the-edge\" class=\"section-header\">Rocky Worlds on the Edge<\/h2>\n <div class=\"section-content\">\n <p class=\"summary\">\n The four planets orbit tightly around Barnard\u2019s Star, taking just 2 to 7 days to complete a year. They are likely smaller than Earth, rocky, and too hot for liquid water.\n <\/p>\n <div class=\"callout-quote\">Shortest year: 2 Earth days \u2022 Longest: 7 Earth days<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"section\">\n <h2 id=\"no-transits-no-sizes\" class=\"section-header\">No Transits, No Sizes<\/h2>\n <div class=\"section-content\">\n <p class=\"summary\">\n Because these planets don\u2019t pass between the star and Earth (i.e., don\u2019t transit), scientists can\u2019t directly measure their size or atmospheres\u2014yet.\n <\/p>\n <div class=\"callout-quote\">Without transits, size and composition are hard to determine.<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"section\">\n <h2 id=\"red-dwarfs-are-planet-factories\" class=\"section-header\">Red Dwarfs Are Planet Factories<\/h2>\n <div class=\"section-content\">\n <p class=\"summary\">\n Red dwarfs are the most common stars in the galaxy, and most seem to have planets. This suggests there may be more planets than stars in the Milky Way.\n <\/p>\n <div class=\"visual-cue\">\n <div style=\"height: 400px; background-color: var(--dark); border-radius: var(--border-radius); margin-bottom: 1rem; display: flex; justify-content: center; align-items: center; color: white;\">\n <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABAQMAAAAl21bKAAAAA1BMVEUAAP+KeNJXAAAAAXRSTlMAQObYZgAAAAlwSFlzAAAOxAAADsQBlSsOGwAAAApJREFUCNdjYAAAAAIAAeIhvDMAAAAASUVORK5CYII=\" alt=\"Artist\u2019s impression of the surface of a super-Earth orbiting Barnard\u2019s Star\" class=\" pk-lazyload\" data-pk-sizes=\"auto\" data-pk-src=\"https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/4\/42\/Artist%E2%80%99s_impression_of_the_surface_of_a_super-Earth_orbiting_Barnard%E2%80%99s_Star.jpg\/960px-Artist%E2%80%99s_impression_of_the_surface_of_a_super-Earth_orbiting_Barnard%E2%80%99s_Star.jpg\" >\n <\/div>\n Artist\u2019s impression of the surface of a super-Earth orbiting Barnard\u2019s Star\n<div class=\"image-attribution\"><p class=\"attribution\">“<a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/w\/index.php?curid=74405258\" target=\"_blank\">Artist\u2019s impression of the surface of a super-Earth orbiting Barnard\u2019s Star<\/a>” by ESO\/M. Kornmesser is licensed under <a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/?ref=openverse\" target=\"_blank\">CC BY 4.0 <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABAQMAAAAl21bKAAAAA1BMVEUAAP+KeNJXAAAAAXRSTlMAQObYZgAAAAlwSFlzAAAOxAAADsQBlSsOGwAAAApJREFUCNdjYAAAAAIAAeIhvDMAAAAASUVORK5CYII=\" style=\"height: 1em; margin-right: 0.125em; display: inline;\" class=\" pk-lazyload\" data-pk-sizes=\"auto\" data-pk-src=\"https:\/\/mirrors.creativecommons.org\/presskit\/icons\/cc.svg\" ><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABAQMAAAAl21bKAAAAA1BMVEUAAP+KeNJXAAAAAXRSTlMAQObYZgAAAAlwSFlzAAAOxAAADsQBlSsOGwAAAApJREFUCNdjYAAAAAIAAeIhvDMAAAAASUVORK5CYII=\" style=\"height: 1em; margin-right: 0.125em; display: inline;\" class=\" pk-lazyload\" data-pk-sizes=\"auto\" data-pk-src=\"https:\/\/mirrors.creativecommons.org\/presskit\/icons\/by.svg\" ><\/a>.<\/p><\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <div class=\"section\">\n <h2 id=\"eyes-on-the-habitable-zone\" class=\"section-header\">Eyes on the Habitable Zone<\/h2>\n <div class=\"section-content\">\n <p class=\"summary\">\n Most discovered planets are close-in because they\u2019re easier to detect. ESA\u2019s Plato mission (launching 2026) aims to find planets farther out\u2014possibly like Earth.\n <\/p>\n <div class=\"callout-quote\">Plato may show us if our solar system is rare\u2026 or typical.<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n <footer>\n Based on the article by Coel Hellier, Professor of Astrophysics, Keele University\n<div class=\"footer-attribution\">\n Adapted from an article by <a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/profiles\/coel-hellier-460658\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Coel Hellier<\/a>, originally published on <a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/four-small-planets-discovered-around-one-of-the-closest-stars-to-earth-an-expert-explains-what-we-know-252075\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Conversation<\/a>, under <a href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nd\/4.0\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">CC BY-ND 4.0<\/a>. Changes made.\n <\/div>\n <\/footer>\n <\/div>\n<\/body>\n<\/html>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Four small planets discovered around one of the closest stars to Earth \u2013 an expert explains what we…\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":14514,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/pixvid.org\/images\/2025\/05\/16\/244e64011ec8468480dd2b67eec8ae6a.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[14,10339],"tags":[6609,6611,6600,6608,6612,6602,4680,6614,4667,6601,6616,4683,6619,6615,6597,6603,6599,6605,6613,903,4675,6607,6618,4658,6606,6598,6617,6610,6604,10008],"class_list":{"0":"post-14420","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-space","8":"category-the-viewpoint","9":"tag-astronomical-research","10":"tag-astronomy-news","11":"tag-barnards-star","12":"tag-espresso-spectrograph","13":"tag-european-space-agency-plato-mission","14":"tag-exoplanet-atmospheres","15":"tag-exoplanet-discovery","16":"tag-exoplanet-research","17":"tag-extrasolar-planets","18":"tag-gemini-north-telescope","19":"tag-gravitational-tug","20":"tag-habitable-zone","21":"tag-maroon-x-instrument","22":"tag-maunakea-observatory","23":"tag-nearby-star-systems","24":"tag-planet-formation","25":"tag-planetary-detection","26":"tag-planetary-orbits","27":"tag-planetary-system-formation","28":"tag-protoplanetary-disk","29":"tag-radial-velocity-method","30":"tag-red-dwarf-star","31":"tag-rocky-exoplanets","32":"tag-space-exploration","33":"tag-space-observation","34":"tag-spectrograph-instruments","35":"tag-stellar-magnetic-activity","36":"tag-transit-method","37":"tag-very-large-telescope","38":"tag-viewpoint","39":"cs-entry","40":"cs-video-wrap"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/modernsciences.org\/staging\/4414\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14420","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/modernsciences.org\/staging\/4414\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/modernsciences.org\/staging\/4414\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/modernsciences.org\/staging\/4414\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/modernsciences.org\/staging\/4414\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14420"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/modernsciences.org\/staging\/4414\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14420\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14681,"href":"https:\/\/modernsciences.org\/staging\/4414\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14420\/revisions\/14681"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/modernsciences.org\/staging\/4414\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14514"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/modernsciences.org\/staging\/4414\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14420"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/modernsciences.org\/staging\/4414\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14420"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/modernsciences.org\/staging\/4414\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14420"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}