Buzz
K2-18b, a mysterious exoplanet, has been labeled a potential 'super-Earth' that could support extraterrestrial life, as reported by Phys.org. Adding to the intrigue, astronomers recently discovered that this planet has a neighboring Earth-like planet, K2-18c. These findings were published in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics [PDF].
First identified in 2015, K2-18b orbits the red-dwarf star K2-18 in the Leo constellation, approximately 111 light years from Earth. Its nearby companion, K2-18c, has a similar mass to Earth but is too close to its star to support life due to its intense heat. In contrast, K2-18b resides in the ideal zone where liquid water could exist on its surface, an essential condition for life.
Astronomers used the European Southern Observatory's HARPS (High Accuracy Radial Velocity Planet Searcher) instrument at the La Silla Observatory in Chile to discover the exoplanets. The data also provided crucial information on K2-18b's mass and density. Initial findings suggest it may be either a rocky planet with an Earth-like atmosphere or a water-covered icy world. Ongoing research with NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), set to launch in spring 2019, will offer further insights into K2-18b’s composition.
HARPS data not only provided insight into K2-18b’s mass but also revealed the existence of K2-18c. Although K2-18c is unlikely to support life, its discovery was still a stroke of luck and equally thrilling, said lead author Ryan Cloutier, a Ph.D. student at the University of Toronto Scarborough's Center for Planet Science, according to a news release.
