October 2, 2024

Artist’s impression of the exoplanet Barnard b with Barnard's Star in the background (Image ESO/M. Kornmesser)

An article published in the journal “Astronomy & Astrophysics” reports the identification of an exoplanet smaller than Earth orbiting Barnard’s Star. A team of researchers identified the exoplanet designated as Barnard b using the ESPRESSO instrument installed on ESO’s VLT in Chile. This discovery was later confirmed with other specialized exoplanet-hunting instruments: HARPS, HARPS-N, and CARMENES. The researchers also detected other signatures that suggest the presence of three exoplanet candidates, but follow-up investigations are needed to verify their existence.