Classified as a Super-Earth, Gliese 486 b is about 1.3 times Earth’s radius and 2.8 times its mass, making it larger but still rocky.

It is located just 26 light years away, in the constellation Virgo, making it a relatively close neighbour in cosmic terms.

This planet orbits very close to its star, leading to extremely hot surface temperatures of around 430°C (806°F). Due to this heat, the surface is probably rocky and barren, without any liquid water, and could even be partially molten.

Gliese 486 b is one of the best candidates for future studies on the atmospheres of rocky exoplanets. Because it’s close to Earth and its star is relatively quiet, scientists are eager to use telescopes like the James Webb Space Telescope to search for an atmosphere and study its composition.

Gliese 486 b was discovered in 2021 using the radial velocity method. This method detects the slight wobble of a star caused by the gravitational pull of an orbiting planet. The wobble causes shifts in the light spectrum of the star (the Doppler effect), which can be measured from Earth. This planet was detected by astronomers using the CARMENES instrument on the Calar Alto Observatory’s telescope in Spain. The radial velocity method helped scientists determine the planet’s mass and its close proximity to the star.