Overview
- Researchers report GJ 251 c in The Astronomical Journal as a potential super-Earth orbiting a nearby M-dwarf star.
- The team combined archival HIRES, CARMENES and SPIRou records with new high-precision measurements from HPF and NEID to isolate the signal.
- Analyses indicate an orbital period of roughly 54 days within the star’s habitable zone about 18 to 19.7 light-years from Earth.
- Authors classify the object as a candidate because stellar activity and measurement uncertainties can mimic planetary signals in M-dwarf systems.
- Scientists say the system is a prime target for extremely large telescopes such as the Thirty Meter Telescope, and climate modeling suggests liquid water could be possible under high-CO2 atmospheres.