Estimated read time: 3-4
minutes
WASHINGTON — Within the Milky Way galaxy, astronomers have frequently observed sub-Neptunes. These planets are two to three times the size of Earth, smaller than Neptune, and orbit their stars closer than Mercury does the sun.
A group of researchers announced the discovery of six sub-Neptunes in synchronized orbits around a star approximately 20% smaller than the sun. This discovery offers hope for unlocking the secrets of these mysterious planets.
The researchers found that the six planets were in a rare state called orbital resonance, indicating they have maintained synchronized orbits around their star for about 4 billion years, free from any chaotic events perturbing their orbits.
“The resonance aspect is really interesting — partly the mathematical beauty of it,” said astronomer Hugh Osborn of the University of Bern in Switzerland.
This system presents the opportunity to unveil the many secrets surrounding these sub-Neptune planets. Although they differ from Earth-like planets, they may hold the key to understanding the composition and nature of these enigmatic worlds.
The subject of what sub-Neptunes are made of is a central focus of current research. The number of potential combinations of rock, water, and atmospheric composition is vast and can reproduce the bulk properties of these planets.
The newly discovered sub-Neptunes have a diameter ranging from 1.9 to 2.9 times that of Earth. Despite their distance of around 100 light-years from Earth, they all seem to have large atmospheres and orbit the star HD110067.
These planets were detected through changes in the star’s brightness as they crossed in front of it from Earth’s vantage point.
The researchers hope the James Webb Space Telescope can provide more answers about these planets and sub-Neptunes in general.
