Astronomers identify key characteristics of rocky exoplanets

Astronomers have made significant strides in identifying potentially habitable rocky exoplanets. Recent findings highlight Gliese 12 b, located approximately 40 light-years away in the Pisces constellation. Data published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society indicates that Gliese 12 b has a mass 0.95 times that of Earth and a radius 0.93 times Earth's, suggesting a rocky composition of silicates and iron rather than a gas giant.

In a separate milestone, researchers have detected an atmosphere on LHS 1140 b, a super-Earth located 48 light-years away. This planet, which has a mass 5.6 times that of Earth, orbits within its star's habitable zone. The detection of a gas layer on a rocky planet in this zone represents a major advancement in the search for life beyond the Solar System, providing empirical evidence that such worlds can retain the atmospheres necessary to protect potential life from radiation.