Scientists Discover a Solid Ball of Rock and Ice: The Exoplanet Gliese 887b
Recently, scientists have discovered an exoplanet orbiting the star Gliese 887, just 11 light-years away. This exoplanet is unique among known exoplanets because it is a solid ball of rock, with no atmosphere and no water. This makes it the closest known rocky planet to Earth. The planet is about 1.3 times the size of Earth and has a mass of 7.2 times that of Earth. It is tidally locked, meaning one side always faces the star, and the far side is in permanent darkness. The planet orbits the star in just 9 days, which is much faster than Mercury’s 88-day orbit of the sun. Scientists believe our own solar system may have developed in a similar way, and this new exoplanet gives us insight into our own past.
source: Phys.org