Astronomers revise nearby GJ 3378b to 2.3 Earths, 21-day orbit
Astronomers have just updated what we know about GJ 3378b, a rocky planet only 25 light-years away.
Thanks to new telescope data, its mass has been revised. It's now thought to be just 2.3 times Earth's mass (not over five, as previously believed), and it orbits its red dwarf star every 21 days instead of 24.7 days.
Because these cool red dwarfs are common in our galaxy, GJ 3378b is a pretty exciting target for studying planets that could support life.
Researchers target water on GJ 3378b
GJ 3378b falls into the "super-Earth" category, a big deal for scientists searching for habitable worlds.
Researchers used special infrared tools designed for faint stars like this one (which actually make up about 70% of all stars out there).
The focus now is on spotting water, since it's key to habitability.
As astronomer Michael Endl put it, mapping nearby planetary systems brings us closer to answering that classic question: "Are we alone in the universe?"