This article was published on June 9, 2020

Astronomers discover a ‘super Earth’ orbiting a Sun-like star

Astronomers know of several worlds that compare to Earth in certain respects, and stars like the Sun are fairly common. Now, the Max Planck Institute announces their finding of a super-Earth orbiting a familiar-looking star.


Astronomers discover a ‘super Earth’ orbiting a Sun-like star
A chart showing how KOI-456.04 is near the middle of its habitable zone, as is the Earth.
KOI-456.04 orbits its parent star at a distance nearly in the middle of the system’s habitable zone, where liquid water is more likely to pool on its surface. Image credit: MPS / René Heller

This article was originally published on The Cosmic Companion by James Maynard, founder and publisher of The Cosmic Companion. He is a New England native turned desert rat in Tucson, where he lives with his lovely wife, Nicole, and Max the Cat. You can read this original piece here.

Astronomy News with The Cosmic Companion is also available as a weekly podcast, carried on all major podcast providers. Tune in every Tuesday for updates on the latest astronomy news, and interviews with astronomers and other researchers working to uncover the nature of the Universe.

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