Wolf 1061c
![Sky map](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e4/Jupiter_and_moon.png/20px-Jupiter_and_moon.png)
![]() Artist's impression of the planetary system around Wolf 1061. | |
Discovery[1] | |
---|---|
Discovered by | University of New South Wales, Australia |
Discovery site | European Southern Observatory |
Discovery date | 17 December 2015 |
Radial velocity | |
Orbital characteristics[2] | |
0.0890+0.0029 −0.0031 AU | |
Eccentricity | 0.11+0.10 −0.07 |
17.8719±0.0059 d | |
Semi-amplitude | 1.92±0.19 m/s |
Star | Wolf 1061 |
Physical characteristics | |
1.66 R🜨[3] | |
Mass | ≥3.41+0.43 −0.41 M🜨[2] |
Temperature | 223 K (−50 °C; −58 °F)[4] |
Wolf 1061 c is an
Characteristics
Mass, radius and temperature
Wolf 1061 c is thought to be a super-Earth exoplanet as its minimum mass is about 3.4 times that of Earth. Its radius is unknown, but predicted to be about 1.6 times that of Earth.[1] The planet has an equilibrium temperature of 223 K (−50 °C; −58 °F), slightly higher than that of Mars.[4]
In astronomical terms, the Wolf 1061 system is relatively close to Earth, at only 14.1 light years away.[5][6]
Discovery
The discovery was announced on 17 December 2015, following a study that used 10 years of archival spectra of the star Wolf 1061 using the
Host star
The planet orbits a
The star's apparent magnitude, or how bright it appears from Earth's perspective, is 10.1m. Therefore, it is too dim to be seen with the naked eye.
Orbit
Wolf 1061 c orbits its host star with less than 1% of the Sun's luminosity every 17.9 days at a distance of 0.08 astronomical units (AU) (compared to Mercury which orbits at a distance of 0.38 AU).[1]
Habitability
The planet's orbital distance of 0.084
Because it is so close to the star, it is likely to be tidally locked, meaning one side permanently faces the star and the other side permanently faces away. Although this scenario could result in extreme temperature differences on the planet,[10] the terminator line that separates the illuminated side and the dark side could potentially be habitable. Additionally, a much larger portion of the planet could also be habitable if it has a thick enough atmosphere to facilitate heat transfer away from the side facing the star.[6]
A 2017 study concluded that it is unlikely that the planets within the system, including Wolf 1061c, have any surface water, hypothesizing that it is a runaway greenhouse candidate as they lie within the Venus zone of Wolf 1061.[11]
See also
- List of exoplanets
- List of potentially habitable exoplanets
References
- ^ S2CID 52320394.
- ^ S2CID 119418595.
- ^ "Exoplanet-catalog". Exoplanet Exploration: Planets Beyond our Solar System. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
- ^ a b "The Habitable Exoplanets Catalog - Planetary Habitability Laboratory @ UPR Arecibo". NASA Exoplanet Archive. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
- ^ a b c "Astronomers discover closest potentially habitable planet: Wolf 1061 c". ScienceAlert. 17 December 2015. Retrieved 17 December 2015.
- ^ a b c Strom, Marcus (17 December 2015). "Wolf 1061 c: closest planet found orbiting in a star's habitable zone 14 light years from Earth". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
- ^ Cain, Fraser (16 September 2008). "How Old is the Sun?". Universe Today. Archived from the original on 18 August 2010. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
- ^ Cain, Fraser (15 September 2008). "Temperature of the Sun". Universe Today. Archived from the original on 29 August 2010. Retrieved 19 February 2011.
- . Retrieved 3 February 2024 – via Wiley.
- ^
- de Lazaro, Enrico (20 January 2017). "Astronomers Characterize Wolf 1061 Planetary System". Sci.News. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
- Oppenheim, Jamie (19 January 2017). "Astronomers search for signs of life on Wolf 1061 exoplanet". phys.org. Science X Network. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
- ISSN 0004-637X.
External links
- Simulated view of the Wolf 1061 system. Video created by the University of New South Wales