Uploaded November 2024 | Updated September 2026, 56 minutes ago
Astronomers have made a groundbreaking discovery—a sub-Earth-mass planet orbiting Barnard's Star, the closest single star to our Sun. This exoplanet, designated Barnard b, has at least half the mass of Venus and completes an orbit around its host star in just over three Earth days. Located only six light-years away, Barnard's Star is the second-closest stellar system to us, making this finding particularly significant. The discovery was made using the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope and confirmed with data from other instruments. This new planet adds to our understanding of the diversity of planetary systems in our cosmic neighborhood.
Astronomers have made a groundbreaking discovery—a sub-Earth-mass planet orbiting Barnard's Star, the closest single star to our Sun. This exoplanet, designated Barnard b, has at least half the mass of Venus and completes an orbit around its host star in just over three Earth days. Located only six light-years away, Barnard's Star is the second-closest stellar system to us, making this finding particularly significant. The discovery was made using the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope and confirmed with data from other instruments. This new planet adds to our understanding of the diversity of planetary systems in our cosmic neighborhood.
