Gliese 581 e

Gliese 581 e (pronounced: [ ɡli zə ː ] ) or Gl 581 e is an exoplanet that orbits the red dwarf Gliese 581, which is located in the constellation Libra. He is the fourth exoplanet that was discovered in the solar system of Gliese 581. The distance from the Earth is approximately 20.5 light years.

Discovery

The planet was by a team of the Geneva Observatory, discovered under the guidance of astronomers Michel Mayor using the HARPS instrument at the European Southern in La Silla, Chile. The discovery was announced on 21 April 2009. The team of Mayor used the radial velocity method by which the size of the orbit and the mass of a planet can be determined based on the small perturbation, ie the failure of the movement of a star which triggers the gravity of the planet at the parent star.

Properties

Gliese 581 e orbits its star at a distance of 0.03 AU and 3.15 days needed for a complete revolution. He is also with about 1.9 Earth masses of hitherto lightest planet outside our solar system. However, the planet is too close to the star and just outside the habitable zone, as that there might reign life-friendly conditions. In such a short distance to form a star, it is unlikely because of the high temperatures and the strong radiation action of the star nut that could develop an atmosphere under these circumstances. The scientists believe that the planet has a solid, rocky surface of the earth is similar.