For a century, astronomers were studying the Bernard star in the hope that the planets around him were found. It was first discovered by EE Barnard at the Yerkes Observatory in 1916, the closest one -star system to Earth. Now, astronomers using Maron tool-X. On the Gemini North, half of the NSF International Gemini Observatory found a powerful three -guilt of the quotanets around the Burnard star, two of which were previously classified as candidates. They also merged data from Maroon-X with data from Espesso tool On the large telescope in ESO to confirm the existence of a fourth planet, and also raised it from the candidate to Goodwill Exoplanet.
An illustration of the artist about the Bernard Foreign Planetary Star. Credit image: International Gemini Observatory / NOIRAB / NSF / AURA / P. Marenfeld.
The Barnard star is a M3.5 star located in the Ophiuchus constellation.
In nearly 6 light years, it is the closest star to the sun after the alpha centauuri Triple stellar system.
Otherwise, the Barnard star known as Gliese 699 or GJ 699, is 10 billion years old due to its slow rotation and low levels of activity.
According to the new study, the star hosts at least four planets, each of which is about 20 to 30 % of the Earth’s mass.
They are so close to their local star that they wash around the entire star within days.
This may mean that it is very hot so that it is not suitable for housing, but the discovery is a new standard for discovering the smaller planets around the nearby stars.
“It is a truly exciting discovery – the Bernard star is our cosmic neighbor, however we know a little about it,” said Ritvik Bassant, a doctorate. A student at the University of Chicago.
“It indicates a launch with the accuracy of these new tools of previous generations.”
Since the stars are brighter than their planets, it is easier to search for the effects that the planets have on their stars – such as the wind control by watching how science moves.
The Maroon-X tool is looking for one effect; The danger of each planet is a little granted to the star’s position, which means that the star seems to be fluctuating back and forth.
Maroon-X measures the light color specifically so that it can capture these simple transformations, and to add the number and fans of the planets that must revolve around the star to have this effect.
Basant and his colleagues are firmly calibrating and analyzing the data taken during 112 different nights over three years.
They found strong evidence for three planets around the Bernard star.
When the team merged its findings with data from the Espesso tool, they saw good evidence on a fourth planet.
Astronomers said: “These planets are likely to be rocky planets, instead of gas planets like Jupiter.”
“It will be difficult to determine certainty; the angle we see from the earth means that we cannot watch them cross in front of their star, which is the usual way to see if it is a rock planet.”
“But by collecting information about similar planets about other stars, we can provide better guesses about their makeup.”
team Results It was published today in Astronomical Physics Magazine messages.
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Ritvik Basant And others. 2025. APJL 982, L1; Doi: 10.3847/2041-8213/adb8D5