New super-earth discovered around red dwarf star Gliese 163

Astronomers have found a new super-earth in the habitable zone around the red dwarf star Gliese 163, using the European Southern Observatory HARPS telescope (or High Accuracy Radial Velocity Planet Searcher).

It has been named as Gliese 163c, and has a mass of 6.9 times that of Earth and an orbital period of 26 days.

It orbits a red dwarf star 49 light years away in the Dorado constellation.

It receives on average 40 percent more light from its parent star than Earth from the Sun, making it hotter.

“We do not know the properties of the atmosphere of Gliese 163c but, if we assume that it is a scaled up version of Earth’s atmosphere, then its surface temperature might be around 60 degree C,” the Daily Mail quoted the researchers.

Along with their latest discovery the team has also found a larger planet, Gliese 163b, orbiting the star much closer with 9 day period.

They also announced that an additional third, but unconfirmed planet, might be orbiting the star much farther away.