Luyten b

Luyten b, also known as Gliese 273b, is an exciting discovery in space! It is a type of planet called an exoplanet, meaning it orbits a star that is not our Sun. This special planet is about 12 light-years away from us, making it one of the closest planets we know of that might be able to support life.

Luyten b orbits a cool red star called Luyten's Star. It is what scientists call a "super-Earth," meaning it is a bit bigger and heavier than our Earth. This planet is about 2.89 times the mass of Earth. It sits in what is known as the habitable zone. This is an area around a star where conditions might be just right for liquid water to exist on a planet's surface—a key ingredient for life as we know it.

One amazing fact about Luyten b is that it gets only about 6% more light from its star than Earth does from the Sun. This makes it a very good candidate for possibly having conditions suitable for life. Scientists discovered Luyten b in June 2017, along with another planet called Gliese 273c. With only three other known planets closer to us—Proxima Centauri b, Ross 128 b, and GJ 1061 d—Luyten b stands out as one of the nearest places we might one day look for life beyond Earth.

Characteristics

Luyten b is a super-Earth. This means it is a little bigger than our planet Earth but smaller than planets like Uranus or Neptune. Scientists believe it has a mass about three times that of Earth and a radius about 1.5 times larger. Because it is not very heavy, Luyten b is probably a rocky planet.

Luyten b orbits its star, Luyten's Star, very closely. It completes one orbit, or year, in just 18.6 days, much faster than Earth. Even though it is close to its star, the star is very dim. This means the planet is in the habitable zone where liquid water could exist. This makes Luyten b one of the closest known planets that might support life. It is only 12 light-years from us.

Luyten's Star is a smaller, cooler red dwarf star. It has less mass and brightness than our Sun. Unlike some other red dwarfs, Luyten's Star is quiet and steady. This makes it a good home for possible planets like Luyten b.

Active SETI

In October 2017 and 2018, a group called METI (Messaging Extraterrestrial Intelligence) sent a message to the planet. The message was called "Sónar Calling GJ273b". It included short musical pieces and a scientific guide. The goal was to contact any intelligent life that might be there.