Why boring could be good for this star’s two intriguing planets

Why boring could be good for this star’s two intriguing planets

Quiet neighbourhood, two nice planets

A nearby red dwarf star is giving astronomers a glimpse at the sort of peaceful stellar neighbourhood where life might be able to survive. The star, called GJ 887, is remarkable because it is relatively peaceful and doesn’t emit flares or harmful radiation. It also hosts two planets that are a little more massive than Earth. “It’s the best star in close proximity to the Sun to understand whether its planets have atmospheres and whether they have life,” says astronomer Sandra Jeffers.

Nature | 4 min readScience paper