Image Credit: Robin Dienel, Carnegie Institution of Science

Scientists have recently discovered three exoplanets nearest to our solar system. These three planets are located in different star systems each but the best thing is, two of them are in the habitable zone of their stars. One of the best discoveries about these planets is that they are not tidally locked to their host star.

Both the exoplanets orbit the red dwarf stars GJ229A and GJ180. GJ229A is 19 light-years away from us and GJ180 is about 39 light-years.

The names of these two are very similar to their stars names The planet orbiting GJ229A star is called GJ229A C and GJ180 D is the one orbiting GJ180 star.

If you do not know most of the time, planets’ names are very similar to the names of their stars to not create confusion.

If a star is called GJ180 then the first planet discovered in the GJ180 star system will most probably be called GJ180 B, the second planet will be named GJ180 C and so on.

So as now we know how we name planets, it is visible that the GJ180 D is the third star in the solar system. GJ180 B and GJ180 C are its sister planets that are closer to the star which makes bad candidates sustain life.

On the other hand, GJ180 D is at a correct distance from the star to not be tidally locked and be in that goldilocks zone.

Goldilocks zone is also called the green zone, it is basically a certain distance from a star where an existing planet can possibly harbor liquid water.

In other words, if a planet will be too far from its parent star it will be too hot to have liquid water and if it will be too far from its star, the planet’s water will become ice because of the low temperatures either or it will be a gas giant like our planet- Jupiter.

Our earth is the best example to be in that goldilocks zone. Even Venus and Mars are in the green zones but they do not have. Some scientists suggest that both the planets had water and life some millions of years ago.

As for GJ180 D, scientists do not know much yet, but having one of the closest planets in Goldilocks zone and tidally unlocked is a big discovery.

Scientists are sure to find out more in-depth details about the planet once the famous James Web Telescope takes off the ground in the deep space in 2021.