A potential gas giant recently discovered orbiting in the habitable zone of one of the closest stars to Earth could have a moon capable of sustaining life — just like the alien world “Pandora” from the “Avatar” movies, researchers have speculated.
However, there is currently no evidence to suggest that such a moon exists or that it could support life. In fact, scientists are still unsure if its host planet is actually where they think it is.
A study published Aug. 11 in The Astrophysical Journal Letters revealed the potential discovery of a Saturn-size gas giant, dubbed S1, orbiting Alpha Centauri A — one of three stars that make up the Alpha Centauri system, which lies roughly 4.25 light-years from our own solar system.
The potential exoplanet, which likely orbits its home star at up to twice the distance between Earth and the sun, was initially spotted by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) in August 2024. However, the powerful telescope failed to spot the world again when it was expected to become visible in February and April this year, leading to it being dubbed a “disappearing planet.”
Researchers believe that S1’s orbit may have moved it in front of Alpha Centauri A, making it much harder for JWST to spot the gas giant. By their calculations, it should become visible again in 2026 and 2027, meaning we will need to wait a few more years before we can be certain of its existence.
But if it is eventually confirmed, “It would be the most significant JWST discovery to date,” study co-author Stanimir Metchev, an exoplanet researcher at Western University in Ontario, told Live Science.
To date, only two planets have been confirmed within our adjacent neighborhood, both of which orbit Proxima Centauri — the closest star to Earth, which circles the binary star pair of Alpha Centauri A and Alpha Centauri B. But as our closest stellar neighbors, the idea of traveling to Alpha Centauri and potentially establishing a human colony there has long piqued humanity’s interest in both science and science fiction.
The triple stars’ most notable sci-fi inclusion is probably in the…
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