Oblivion
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- Sep 6, 2024
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HD 20794 d or Bob for short was detected in 2022 by Oxford University scientist Dr. Michael Cretignier and classified as a candidate exoplanet signal but now following an international team of scientists examining the data Bob has now been designated as a Super Earth , Bob orbits a Sun like Star and lives within the habitable zone of its parent so it's possible it will have water and as its parent is Sun Like won't be subject to the radiation of Red Dwarfs.
"We worked on data analysis for years, gradually analyzing and eliminating all possible sources of contamination," added Dr. Cretignier. Advanced processing methods and meticulous analyses were needed to distinguish the planetary signal from background noise and subtle instrumental effects. By combining the results from the two instruments, the discovery was finally confirmed.
"For me, it was naturally a huge joy when we could confirm the planet's existence" Dr. Cretignier said. "It was also a relief, since the original signal was at the edge of the spectrograph's detection limit, so it was hard to be completely convinced at that time if the signal was real or not. Excitingly, its proximity to us (only 20 light years) means there is hope for future space missions to obtain an image of it."
Although the planet is located in the system's habitable zone, it is too early to say whether it could host life. Unlike most planets, HD 20794 d's orbit is not circular but elliptical. Its distance from its star changes significantly, causing the planet to move from the outer edge of the habitable zone to the inner edge throughout its year.
In any case, HD 20794 d will provide an invaluable test case for upcoming space projects designed to detect signs of life outside our solar system. These include the Extremely Large Telescope, Habitable Worlds Observatory, and the Large Interferometer For Exoplanets (LIFE). These instruments will observe the atmosphere of nearby Earth-like planets in the habitable zone for tell-tale "biosignatures" indicative of life.
phys.org
"We worked on data analysis for years, gradually analyzing and eliminating all possible sources of contamination," added Dr. Cretignier. Advanced processing methods and meticulous analyses were needed to distinguish the planetary signal from background noise and subtle instrumental effects. By combining the results from the two instruments, the discovery was finally confirmed.
"For me, it was naturally a huge joy when we could confirm the planet's existence" Dr. Cretignier said. "It was also a relief, since the original signal was at the edge of the spectrograph's detection limit, so it was hard to be completely convinced at that time if the signal was real or not. Excitingly, its proximity to us (only 20 light years) means there is hope for future space missions to obtain an image of it."
Although the planet is located in the system's habitable zone, it is too early to say whether it could host life. Unlike most planets, HD 20794 d's orbit is not circular but elliptical. Its distance from its star changes significantly, causing the planet to move from the outer edge of the habitable zone to the inner edge throughout its year.
In any case, HD 20794 d will provide an invaluable test case for upcoming space projects designed to detect signs of life outside our solar system. These include the Extremely Large Telescope, Habitable Worlds Observatory, and the Large Interferometer For Exoplanets (LIFE). These instruments will observe the atmosphere of nearby Earth-like planets in the habitable zone for tell-tale "biosignatures" indicative of life.
Researchers confirm an exoplanet potentially capable of sustaining life
An international team has confirmed the discovery of a super-Earth orbiting in the habitable zone of a nearby sun-like star. The planet was originally detected two years ago by Oxford University scientist Dr. Michael Cretignier. This result, drawing on more than two decades of observations...