The universe is a fortress of billions of hidden secrets. We do not even know the billions of planets inside the solar system. So, should we talk about what is outside the solar system? However, another mystery outside the solar system has been unraveled. Astronomers have discovered four Earth-like planets. The researchers have discovered the planets orbiting a red dwarf star called Barnard, which is only six light-years away from Earth.
Although all four planets are smaller than Earth, they are all very similar to Earth in structure. The discovery of these four small planets is considered an important milestone in the search for life beyond Earth in the universe. These dwarf planets, tentatively named B, C, D, and E, have only 20 to 30 percent of the mass of Earth. Therefore, they are the smallest planets discovered outside the solar system so far. These planets were identified with the help of the Gemini North Telescope in Hawaii and the Very Large Telescope in Chile. They are also the smallest planets ever discovered using the radial velocity technique.
All four dwarf planets orbit their star in a very short time. Of these, two Earth days is one year for the planet closest to Barnard's Star. The planet located farthest will complete its orbit in seven days. Researchers believe that these tiny planets, located close to a small star like a red dwarf, would have temperatures that could support life, compared to the distance from Earth to the Sun. The discovery of these four tiny planets is crucial in the search for another habitable Earth that humans and the scientific world have been conducting for years.