Another fascinating exoplanet discovery this month. Astronomers using the HARPS instrument in Chile have found an Earth-sized, temperate world orbiting a red dwarf star just 11 light-years away, known as Ross 128.



What makes Ross 128 b particularly interesting is its host star. Unlike Proxima Centauri, which is known to be a highly active 'flare star' that routinely blasts its planets with deadly ultraviolet and X-ray radiation, Ross 128 is a much quieter, more stable red dwarf. This drastically increases the chances that its planet could have retained an atmosphere, making it an incredibly tantalising target for future atmospheric characterisation.