Astronomers Have Discovered a Super-Earth 10 Light-Years Away That Could Possibly Contain Water, Although a Human Voyage Would Require Approximately 15,000 Years
Astronomers have confirmed GJ 887d, a super-Earth orbiting the nearby red dwarf star GJ 887 about 10 light-years from Earth. The planet is at least six times more massive than Earth and circles its star every 50.8 days.
What makes this world exciting is its location in the “habitable zone,” where temperatures could allow liquid water—if the planet has a stable atmosphere. Scientists aren’t saying it’s Earth-like, but it is now one of the closest known worlds where water could potentially exist.
Even though it’s close by cosmic standards, it’s still far beyond our reach. With today’s fastest spacecraft, a trip would take roughly 15,000 years. For now, GJ 887d is a target for future telescopes searching for atmospheres and possible signs of habitability.
Source: Astronomy & Astrophysics — “RedDots: multiplanet system around M dwarf GJ 887”