Astronomers have discovered two planets orbiting the star GJ 1002, located just 16 light-years away from the solar system.
The planets are about as heavy as Earth and are located in the habitable zone, according to a study published in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics.
The star GJ 1002: GJ 1002 is a red dwarf star with only an eighth of the mass of the sun and is relatively cool and dim. This means that the wearable zone is located very close to the star.
The wearable zone: The wearable zone is the area around a star where the temperatures are just right for liquid water to exist on the surface of a planet. If a planet is too close to the star, it will be too hot for liquid water to exist, but if it is too far away, the water will freeze.
Potential for life: The two planets discovered around GJ 1002 are located relatively close to the star and are therefore in the wearable zone. This is exciting news because it means that the planets may be able to support life as we know it. However, further research is needed to determine whether the planets actually have water and to understand their atmospheres. The fact that the entire system is located relatively close to the solar system makes these planets prime candidates for further study, as they can be easily observed with telescopes