Wolf 1061

Wolf 1061 is a small, cool star known as a red dwarf. It is located about 14.1 light-years from us in the constellation Ophiuchus. This star is one of the closest known stars to our Sun, being the 36th-closest-known star system.

Red dwarfs like Wolf 1061 are the most common type of star in the universe. They are smaller and cooler than our Sun, but they shine steadily for a very long time. Wolf 1061 moves quickly across the sky, with a proper motion of 1.2 seconds of arc per year.

Scientists study stars like Wolf 1061 to learn more about the universe and how stars form and change over time. Even though it is far away, its closeness to Earth makes it an important target for astronomers.

The star

Wolf 1061 was first cataloged in 1919 by German astronomer Max Wolf. It is named after the list he created of dim stars that move quickly across the sky. Studies have shown that this star does not have any special activity that would block planets from forming around it.

The area where planets could support liquid water, called the habitable zone, is very close to the star, between about 0.1 and 0.2 AU.

Planetary system

In December 2015, astronomers from the University of New South Wales found three planets around Wolf 1061. They used data from the HARPS spectrograph at the La Silla Observatory in Chile and from the All Sky Automated Survey. The planets have short orbits of about 5, 18, and 67 days.

These planets are likely rocky, similar to planets close to the Sun. One planet, Wolf 1061c, is near the area where liquid water could exist, making it a candidate for possibly supporting life. Another planet, Wolf 1061 d, might also be in a zone where life could exist, depending on its atmosphere.