A dense ultra-short period sub-Earth planet transiting a nearby red dwarf star

GJ 367b illustration. The planet orbits around a red dwarf every 7.7 hours. Its bulk density is close to that of iron, interior structure models predict a similar structure to Mercury’s interior. (Image credit: SPP 1992 (Patricia Klein)).
GJ 367b illustration. The planet orbits around a red dwarf every 7.7 hours. Its bulk density is close to that of iron, interior structure models predict a similar structure to Mercury’s interior. (Image credit: SPP 1992 (Patricia Klein)).
Advertised on
Authors
Kristine W. F. Lam et al.
Technische Universität Berlin
References
2021 Science 374 1271

Ultrashort-period (USP) exoplanets have orbital periods shorter than 1 day. Precise masses and radii of USP exoplanets could provide constraints on their unknown formation and evolution processes. We report the detection and characterization of the USP planet GJ 367b using high-precision photometry and radial velocity observations. GJ 367b orbits a bright (V-band magnitude of 10.2), nearby, and red (M-type) dwarf star every 7.7 hours. GJ 367b has a radius of 0.718 ± 0.054 Earth-radii and a mass of 0.546 ± 0.078 Earth-masses, making it a sub-Earth planet. The corresponding bulk density is 8.106± 2.165 grams per cubic centimeter—close to that of iron. An interior structure model predicts that the planet has an iron core radius fraction of 86± 5%, similar to that of Mercury’s interior.

News type
Research news
Scope
Science and Technology
Severo Ochoa
SO Research
Astrophysics
General public
Undergraduate
Scientists
Exoplanetary Systems & Solar System (SEYSS)
SEVERO OCHOA

It may interest you

  • Begoña García Lorenzo
    Photomontage
    IAC Researcher Begoña García new coordinator of the Network of Astronomical Infrastructures
    Begoña García Lorenzo, a researcher at the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC) has been appointed coordinator of the Network of Astronomical Infrastructures (RIA), and advisory committee on astronomical affairs of the General Administration of State, funded by the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities. The task of the RIA is to offer guidance about the Scientific-Technical Singular Infrastructures (ICTS in Spanish) and International Installations and Organisms (IOI), promoting collaboration among them. With an important carreer lasting over two decades in astrophysical
    Advertised on
  • MaNGA galaxies
    Research news
    Constraints on the in situ and ex situ stellar masses in nearby galaxies obtained with artificial intelligence
    The hierarchical model of galaxy evolution suggests that mergers have a substantial impact on the intricate processes that drive stellar assembly within a galaxy. However, accurately measuring the contribution of accretion to a galaxy's total stellar mass and its balance with in situ star formation poses a persistent challenge, as it is neither directly observable nor easily inferred from observational properties. Using data from MaNGA, we present theory-motivated predictions for the fraction of stellar mass originating from mergers in a statistically significant sample of nearby galaxies
    Advertised on
  • Planetary nebula M57
    Press release
    The mystery of the fullerenes in space explained
    A pioneering study from the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC) which combines laboratory chemistry with astrophysics, has shown for the first time that grains of dust formed by carbon and hydrogen in a highly disordered state, known as HAC, can take part in the formation of fullerenes, carbon molecules which are of key importance for the development of life in the universe, and with potential applications in nanotechnology. The results are published as a Letter to the Editor in the prestigious journal Astronomy & Astrophysics. Fullerenes are carbon molecules which are very big
    Advertised on