Gliese 876

Gliese 876 is a red dwarf star. It is 15.2 light-years from Earth in the constellation of Aquarius. It is close to the Sun and has more than two planets.

As of 2018, four planets have been found around Gliese 876.

The planets around Gliese 876 move in a special pattern called Laplace resonance. This pattern is like how some of Jupiter's moons move.

Two of Gliese 876's planets could have liquid water. But they are big gas planets like Jupiter. They are not places where life could live. Gliese 876 is the first system around a normal star where scientists measured how flat the planets' orbits are.

Distance and visibility

Gliese 876 is near our Solar System. The Gaia spacecraft measured that it is about 15.238 ly from Earth. Even though it is close, we need a telescope to see it.

Stellar characteristics

Gliese 876 is a red dwarf star. This means it is smaller and cooler than our Sun. It has only about 35% of the Sun’s mass and shines much less brightly, with just 1.3% of the Sun’s brightness. Most of its light is given off as infrared radiation.

This star’s brightness changes slightly, varying by about 0.04 magnitudes. This happens because large dark spots rotate across its surface, similar to sunspots. These changes were first noticed by Edward W. Weis, and the star was given the variable star name IL Aquarii in 1997. Like many red dwarfs, Gliese 876 also gives off X-rays.

Planetary system

Gliese 876 is a red dwarf star with four known planets around it. The first planet, Gliese 876 b, was found in 1998. A second planet, Gliese 876 c, was found in 2001. Then came Gliese 876 d in 2005 and Gliese 876 e in 2010. These planets have special paths, with some moving like the moons of Jupiter.

The closest planet, Gliese 876 d, is probably a rocky world. Gliese 876 c is a big planet that might have large moons where life could exist. Gliese 876 b is a large planet that moves very close to its star. Gliese 876 e is about the same size as the planet Uranus.