The Super-Earth exoplanet discovered in the habitable zone of a red dwarf star approximately 22 light-years away is named Gliese 667Cc (or GJ 667Cc).

Here are the key characteristics of Gliese 667Cc:

• Host Star: It orbits the red dwarf star Gliese 667C, which is part of a triple-star system called Gliese 667. Red dwarfs are smaller and cooler than our Sun.  

• Distance: The system is located about 22 light-years from Earth in the constellation Scorpius.

• Mass: Gliese 667Cc is a “Super-Earth,” meaning it is more massive than Earth but less massive than an ice giant like Neptune. Its mass is estimated to be at least 4.5 times that of Earth.  

• Orbit: It completes one orbit around its star in about 28 days. Due to its star being a cooler red dwarf, this close orbit places the planet within the habitable zone (or “Goldilocks zone”), the region where temperatures could allow for liquid water to exist on the surface.  

• Composition: It is thought to be a rocky planet rich in heavy chemical elements such as iron, carbon, and silicon.  

While the discovery of a planet in the habitable zone is exciting, its actual habitability is still subject to scientific debate. Planets orbiting red dwarfs in the habitable zone are often tidally locked (one side perpetually faces the star, the other is in eternal night) and may be vulnerable to intense stellar flares from the red dwarf, which could strip away a planet’s atmosphere.

You can see a discussion on this kind of discovery in Closest Earth-Sized Exoplanet Discovered Just 22 Light-Years Away. This video discusses the discovery of an Earth-sized exoplanet also at a distance of 22 light-years, which is relevant to the recent finding of a “Super-Earth” at a similar distance.

Gliese 667Cc (or GJ 667Cc). ( can humans live there)

It’s highly unlikely that humans could live on Gliese 667Cc without extensive, advanced technology to overcome several major challenges. While the planet is in the star’s habitable zone, meaning liquid water could exist, that alone doesn’t make it a comfortable or safe place for human life.

Here are the main challenges to habitability for humans:

• High Surface Gravity: Gliese 667Cc is a Super-Earth with a minimum mass of at least 4.5 times that of Earth. This would result in a surface gravity around 1.6 times Earth’s gravity. Living under such high gravity for extended periods would be extremely taxing on the human body, leading to severe long-term health issues like cardiovascular problems and skeletal deterioration.  

• Tidal Locking and Temperature Extremes: The planet orbits its red dwarf star very closely (in just 28 days), making it likely tidally locked.  

• One side would face the star in perpetual daylight, leading to extremely high temperatures.  

• The other side would face perpetual night, becoming frozen solid.

• The only potentially temperate zone would be a narrow band along the terminator line (the boundary between day and night), but this depends on a thick atmosphere to circulate heat.

• Intense Stellar Flares: Red dwarf stars, especially younger ones, are prone to powerful stellar flares that emit high levels of X-rays and ultraviolet radiation. Without a very strong planetary magnetic field, this radiation could sterilize the surface and strip away the planet’s atmosphere over time, making it hostile to Earth-like life.

• Tidal Heating: Models suggest Gliese 667Cc is subject to tidal heating (internal heating from gravitational stresses) 300 times greater than Earth’s, which could potentially lead to extreme volcanic activity and a superheated, Venus-like surface.  

In summary, the conditions—high gravity, radiation, tidal heating, and extreme temperature differences—make Gliese 667Cc a poor candidate for human colonization.

You can learn more about exoplanets with a high habitability index, including Gliese 667Cc, in These Planets with an Habitable Index over 0.8.

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