Two different groups of astronomer have reported the uncovering of an exoplanet that might be an Earth Twin Falls , or maybe a Venus - same world . This public is a grotesque quarry for geographic expedition and it might provide crucial insights into rocky planet like our own – and their habitableness .

The satellite is called Gliese 12 b and it orbits a star that is much lowly and cool than our Sun . It is 27 per centum of its size and has only 60 percentage of its surface temperature . Gliese 12 vitamin B is in the hotter part of the habitable zona , which is much smaller around this star , and the major planet orbits it in just diffident of 13 days .

Gliese 12 b is also 4 percent smaller than Earth , a bit more similar in size of it to Venus . In terms of starlight , it gets about 60 pct more than Earth does , but only 85 percent of what Venus experiences . So , it could be like Earth . Or maybe it had the same runaway greenhouse effect as Venus and it is a god-awful world . Or it could have a thin or non - existent atmosphere making it more like a hot Mars or big Mercury .

Gliese 12 b is between Earth and Venus in temperature , its aura could teach us a plenty about the habitableness pathways major planet take as they develop .

" Gliese 12 b represents one of the respectable quarry to study whether world - sizing planet orbit cool stars can retain their atmospheres , a crucial step to advance our agreement of habitableness on planets across our galaxy , " said Shishir Dholakia , lead generator of one of two papers describing this work and a doctorial student at the Centre for Astrophysics at the University of Southern Queensland , in astatement .

Researchers are interested in the potential difference for an atmosphere . If it has n’t got one , its surface temperature would be too bad : 42 ° C ( 107 ° degree Fahrenheit ) . That is about three time Earth ’s average of 15 ° C ( 59 ° F ) . But if it does have one , thing could be very different – and also very interesting .

" Much of the scientific value of this planet is to understand what kind of atmosphere it could have . Since Gliese 12 barn gets in between the amount of light as Earth and Venus get from the Sun , it will be valuable for bridging the gap between these two planet in our solar organisation , " Dholakia explicate .

" It is thought that Earth ’s and Venus ’s first atmospheres were stripped away and then fill again by volcanic outgassing and bombardments from residual material in the solar scheme , ” sum Larissa Palethorpe , a doctorial student at the   University of Edinburgh   and   University College London .

" The Earth is inhabitable , but Venus is not due to its sodding passing of urine . Because Gliese 12 group B is between Earth and Venus in temperature , its ambience could teach us a lot about the habitableness footpath major planet take as they develop . "

reddish dwarfs such as the one in the Gliese 12 system can be very active , but the star is so close to make it an ideal target for current observatories likeJWST , as well as succeeding I . They should be able-bodied to see if the planet does or does n’t have an standard atmosphere and if it does , even work out its report . This would be a major step forward in empathise how rocky satellite develop .

Papers presenting this work are published in theMonthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Societyand inThe Astrophysical Journal Letters .