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Coordinates: Sky map 16h 30m 18.1s, −12° 39′ 45″
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| single_temperature = {{convert|223|K|C F}}<ref name="PHL"/>
| single_temperature = {{convert|223|K|C F}}<ref name="PHL"/>
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'''Wolf 1061c''' is an [[exoplanet]] orbiting within the [[Circumstellar habitable zone|habitable zone]] of the [[red dwarf]] [[star]] [[Wolf 1061]] in the [[constellation]] [[Ophiuchus]], about 14.1 [[light-year]]s from [[Earth]]. At the time of discovery, it was the closest known potentially habitable exoplanet to Earth, though several closer ones have since been found.<ref name="SciAlert-20151217"/><ref name=smh /> It is the second planet in order from its host star in a [[List of multiplanetary systems|triple planetary system]], and has an [[orbital period]] of 17.9 days. Wolf 1061c is classified as a [[super-Earth]] [[exoplanet]] as its mass is between that of Earth and the [[ice giant]]s.
'''Wolf 1061 c''' is an [[exoplanet]] orbiting within the [[Circumstellar habitable zone|habitable zone]] of the [[red dwarf]] [[star]] [[Wolf 1061]] in the [[constellation]] [[Ophiuchus]], about 14.1 [[light-year]]s from [[Earth]]. At the time of discovery, it was the closest known potentially habitable exoplanet to Earth, though several closer ones have since been found.<ref name="SciAlert-20151217"/><ref name=smh /> It is the second planet in order from its host star in a [[List of multiplanetary systems|triple planetary system]], and has an [[orbital period]] of 17.9 days. Wolf 1061 c is classified as a [[super-Earth]] [[exoplanet]] as its mass is between that of Earth and the [[ice giant]]s.


==Characteristics==
==Characteristics==
===Mass, radius and temperature===
===Mass, radius and temperature===
Wolf 1061c is thought to be a [[super-Earth]] [[exoplanet]] as its [[minimum mass]] is about 3.4 times that of Earth. Its radius is unknown, but predicted to be about 1.6 times that of Earth.<ref name="Wright2016"/> The planet has an [[Planetary equilibrium temperature|equilibrium temperature]] of {{convert|223|K|C F}}, slightly higher than that of [[Mars]].<ref name="PHL2" />
Wolf 1061 c is thought to be a [[super-Earth]] [[exoplanet]] as its [[minimum mass]] is about 3.4 times that of Earth. Its radius is unknown, but predicted to be about 1.6 times that of Earth.<ref name="Wright2016"/> The planet has an [[Planetary equilibrium temperature|equilibrium temperature]] of {{convert|223|K|C F}}, slightly higher than that of [[Mars]].<ref name="PHL2" />


In astronomical terms, the Wolf 1061 system is relatively close to Earth, at only 14.1 light years away.<ref name="SciAlert-20151217">{{cite web|url=http://www.sciencealert.com/astronomers-discover-closest-potentially-habitable-planet-wolf-1061c |title=Astronomers discover closest potentially habitable planet: Wolf 1061c |website=ScienceAlert.com |date=17 December 2015 |access-date=17 December 2015}}</ref><ref name=smh />
In astronomical terms, the Wolf 1061 system is relatively close to Earth, at only 14.1 light years away.<ref name="SciAlert-20151217">{{cite web|url=http://www.sciencealert.com/astronomers-discover-closest-potentially-habitable-planet-wolf-1061 c |title=Astronomers discover closest potentially habitable planet: Wolf 1061 c |website=ScienceAlert.com |date=17 December 2015 |access-date=17 December 2015}}</ref><ref name=smh />


=== Discovery ===
=== Discovery ===
Line 41: Line 41:


===Orbit===
===Orbit===
Wolf 1061c orbits its host star with less than 1% of the Sun's luminosity every 17.9 days at a distance of 0.08 [[Astronomical unit|astronomical units]] (AU) (compared to [[Mercury (planet)|Mercury]] which orbits at a distance of 0.38 AU).<ref name="Wright2016"/>
Wolf 1061 c orbits its host star with less than 1% of the Sun's luminosity every 17.9 days at a distance of 0.08 [[Astronomical unit|astronomical units]] (AU) (compared to [[Mercury (planet)|Mercury]] which orbits at a distance of 0.38 AU).<ref name="Wright2016"/>


==Habitability==
==Habitability==
The planet's orbital distance of 0.084 [[astronomical unit|AU]] (assuming mild [[Orbital eccentricity|eccentricity]]) lies at the inner edge of its star's [[Circumstellar habitable zone|habitable zone]], which extends from approximately 0.073 to 0.190 AU (for comparison, the habitable zone of the [[Sun]] is approximated at 0.5 to 3.0 AU for its different energy emission). Its host star is a [[red dwarf]], with about a quarter as much mass as the Sun. As a result, stars like Wolf 1061 have the ability to burn up to 400–500 billion years, 40–50 times longer than the Sun will.<ref name="Adams 2005">{{cite journal| journal=Astronomische Nachrichten| volume= 326| issue=10| pages= 913–919| year= 2005| title=M dwarfs: planet formation and long term evolution| first=F. C.|last= Adams|author2=P. Bodenheimer|author3=G. Laughlin|doi=10.1002/asna.200510440| bibcode=2005AN....326..913A| doi-access=free}}</ref>
The planet's orbital distance of 0.084 [[astronomical unit|AU]] (assuming mild [[Orbital eccentricity|eccentricity]]) lies at the inner edge of its star's [[Circumstellar habitable zone|habitable zone]], which extends from approximately 0.073 to 0.190 AU (for comparison, the habitable zone of the [[Sun]] is approximated at 0.5 to 3.0 AU for its different energy emission). Its host star is a [[red dwarf]], with about a quarter as much mass as the Sun. As a result, stars like Wolf 1061 have the ability to burn up to 400–500 billion years, 40–50 times longer than the Sun will.<ref name="Adams 2005">{{cite journal| journal=Astronomische Nachrichten| volume= 326| issue=10| pages= 913–919| year= 2005| title=M dwarfs: planet formation and long term evolution| first=F. C.|last= Adams|author2=P. Bodenheimer|author3=G. Laughlin|doi=10.1002/asna.200510440| bibcode=2005AN....326..913A| doi-access=free}}</ref>


Because it is so close to the star, it is likely to be [[Tidal locking|tidally locked]], meaning one side permanently faces the star and the other side permanently faces away. Although this scenario could result in extreme temperature differences on the planet, the [[Terminator (solar)|terminator line]] that separates the illuminated side and the dark side could potentially be [[Planetary habitability|habitable]], as the temperature there could be suitable for liquid water to exist. Additionally, a much larger portion of the planet could also be habitable if it has a thick enough atmosphere to facilitate heat transfer away from the side facing the star.<ref name="smh">{{cite web|author=Marcus Strom |url=http://www.smh.com.au/technology/sci-tech/astronomy/wolf-1061c-closest-planet-found-orbiting-in-a-stars-habitable-zone-14-light-years-from-earth-20151216-gloy0w.html |title=Wolf 1061c: closest planet found orbiting in a star's habitable zone 14 light years from Earth |website=Smh.com.au |date=17 December 2015}}</ref>
Because it is so close to the star, it is likely to be [[Tidal locking|tidally locked]], meaning one side permanently faces the star and the other side permanently faces away. Although this scenario could result in extreme temperature differences on the planet, the [[Terminator (solar)|terminator line]] that separates the illuminated side and the dark side could potentially be [[Planetary habitability|habitable]], as the temperature there could be suitable for liquid water to exist. Additionally, a much larger portion of the planet could also be habitable if it has a thick enough atmosphere to facilitate heat transfer away from the side facing the star.<ref name="smh">{{cite web|author=Marcus Strom |url=http://www.smh.com.au/technology/sci-tech/astronomy/wolf-1061c-closest-planet-found-orbiting-in-a-stars-habitable-zone-14-light-years-from-earth-20151216-gloy0w.html |title=Wolf 1061 c: closest planet found orbiting in a star's habitable zone 14 light years from Earth |website=Smh.com.au |date=17 December 2015}}</ref>


==See also==
==See also==

Revision as of 05:27, 2 February 2024

Wolf 1061 c
Artist's impression of the planetary system around Wolf 1061.
Discovery[1]
Discovered byUniversity of New South Wales, Australia
Discovery siteEuropean Southern Observatory
Discovery date17 December 2015
Radial velocity
Orbital characteristics[2]
0.0890+0.0029
−0.0031 AU
Eccentricity0.11+0.10
−0.07
17.8719±0.0059 d
Semi-amplitude1.92±0.19 m/s
StarWolf 1061
Physical characteristics
1.66 R🜨[3]
Mass≥3.41+0.43
−0.41 M🜨[2]
Temperature223 K (−50 °C; −58 °F)[4]

Wolf 1061 c is an exoplanet orbiting within the habitable zone of the red dwarf star Wolf 1061 in the constellation Ophiuchus, about 14.1 light-years from Earth. At the time of discovery, it was the closest known potentially habitable exoplanet to Earth, though several closer ones have since been found.[5][6] It is the second planet in order from its host star in a triple planetary system, and has an orbital period of 17.9 days. Wolf 1061 c is classified as a super-Earth exoplanet as its mass is between that of Earth and the ice giants.

Characteristics

Mass, radius and temperature

Wolf 1061 c is thought to be a super-Earth exoplanet as its minimum mass is about 3.4 times that of Earth. Its radius is unknown, but predicted to be about 1.6 times that of Earth.[1] The planet has an equilibrium temperature of 223 K (−50 °C; −58 °F), slightly higher than that of Mars.[7]

In astronomical terms, the Wolf 1061 system is relatively close to Earth, at only 14.1 light years away.[5][6]

Discovery

The discovery was announced on 17 December 2015, following a study that used 10 years of archival spectra of the star Wolf 1061 using the HARPS spectrograph attached to the ESO 3.6 m Telescope at the European Southern Observatory at La Silla, Chile.[5][1]

Host star

Main article: Wolf 1061

The planet orbits a M-type star named Wolf 1061, which is orbited by a total of three planets. The star has a mass of 0.25 M☉ and a radius of 0.26 R☉. It has a temperature of 3380 K. The age is poorly constrained/unknown, but estimates would place it around a few billion years. In comparison, the Sun is 4.6 billion years old[8] and has a surface temperature of 5778 K.[9]

The star's apparent magnitude, or how bright it appears from Earth's perspective, is 10.1m. Therefore, it is too dim to be seen with the naked eye.

Orbit

Wolf 1061 c orbits its host star with less than 1% of the Sun's luminosity every 17.9 days at a distance of 0.08 astronomical units (AU) (compared to Mercury which orbits at a distance of 0.38 AU).[1]

Habitability

The planet's orbital distance of 0.084 AU (assuming mild eccentricity) lies at the inner edge of its star's habitable zone, which extends from approximately 0.073 to 0.190 AU (for comparison, the habitable zone of the Sun is approximated at 0.5 to 3.0 AU for its different energy emission). Its host star is a red dwarf, with about a quarter as much mass as the Sun. As a result, stars like Wolf 1061 have the ability to burn up to 400–500 billion years, 40–50 times longer than the Sun will.[10]

Because it is so close to the star, it is likely to be tidally locked, meaning one side permanently faces the star and the other side permanently faces away. Although this scenario could result in extreme temperature differences on the planet, the terminator line that separates the illuminated side and the dark side could potentially be habitable, as the temperature there could be suitable for liquid water to exist. Additionally, a much larger portion of the planet could also be habitable if it has a thick enough atmosphere to facilitate heat transfer away from the side facing the star.[6]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wright, D. J; Wittenmyer, R. A; Tinney, C. G; Bentley, J. S; Zhao, Jinglin (2016). "Three Planets Orbiting Wolf 1061". The Astrophysical Journal Letters. 817 (2): L20. arXiv:1512.05154. Bibcode:2016ApJ...817L..20W. doi:10.3847/2041-8205/817/2/L20. S2CID 52320394.
  2. ^ a b Astudillo-Defru, Nicola; Forveille, Thierry; Bonfils, Xavier; Ségransan, Damien; Bouchy, François; Delfosse, Xavier; et al. (2017). "The HARPS search for southern extra-solar planets. XLI. A dozen planets around the M dwarfs GJ 3138, GJ 3323, GJ 273, GJ 628, and GJ 3293". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 602. A88. arXiv:1703.05386. Bibcode:2017A&A...602A..88A. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201630153. S2CID 119418595.
  3. ^ "Exoplanet-catalog". Exoplanet Exploration: Planets Beyond our Solar System. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  4. ^ "The Habitable Exoplanets Catalog - Planetary Habitability Laboratory @ UPR Arecibo".
  5. ^ a b c c "Astronomers discover closest potentially habitable planet: Wolf 1061 c". ScienceAlert.com. 17 December 2015. Retrieved 17 December 2015. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)
  6. ^ a b c Marcus Strom (17 December 2015). "Wolf 1061 c: closest planet found orbiting in a star's habitable zone 14 light years from Earth". Smh.com.au.
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference PHL2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Fraser Cain (16 September 2008). "How Old is the Sun?". Universe Today. Retrieved 19 February 2011.
  9. ^ Fraser Cain (15 September 2008). "Temperature of the Sun". Universe Today. Retrieved 19 February 2011.
  10. ^ Adams, F. C.; P. Bodenheimer; G. Laughlin (2005). "M dwarfs: planet formation and long term evolution". Astronomische Nachrichten. 326 (10): 913–919. Bibcode:2005AN....326..913A. doi:10.1002/asna.200510440.
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