HD 20794 d is six times the size of Earth and orbits a sun-like star 20 light-years away. It is in the habitable zone of its star, meaning it could have liquid water on its surface. Unlike Earth’s nearly circular orbit, this planet follows an elliptical path. This means that the planet’s distance from its star varies significantly throughout its orbit. This is a big question mark for its habitability. Future missions will focus on studying its atmosphere in the hope of finding clues about its potential to support life. The fact that HD 20794d is relatively close to Earth makes it a prime target for these investigation. The planet could play a pivotal role in future missions looking for signs of life, says Dr Michael Cretignier, a postdoctoral research assistant at the University of Oxford. It was first identified in 2022 while analysing archived data from the High Accuracy Radial Velocity Planet Searcher at the La Silla Observatory in Chile. An international team of researchers then spent two decades examining observations to confirm its existence. The discovery emphasises the value of persistent observation and teamwork in astronomy.
HD 20794 d is six times the size of Earth and orbits a sun-l….
