Produced by: Manoj Kumar
HD 20794 d is six times Earth’s mass, orbiting a Sun-like star just 20 light-years away, making it one of the closest habitable-zone exoplanets.
Representative pic
First detected in 2022, scientists spent years analyzing decades of data to confirm its existence, overcoming the limits of detection technology.
Representative pic
The planet lies in its star’s habitable zone, where liquid water could exist—a key factor in the search for extraterrestrial life.
Representative pic
Unlike Earth, HD 20794 d has an elliptical orbit, meaning its distance from its star constantly shifts, affecting potential habitability.
Representative pic
Future space missions like LIFE, ELT, and HWO will study the planet’s atmosphere for biosignatures—chemical clues of alien life.
Representative pic
At only 20 light-years away, it is one of the best exoplanets for future telescopes to directly image and analyze.
Representative pic
The planet’s signal was barely detectable, requiring high-precision instruments like HARPS and ESPRESSO to separate it from background noise.
Representative pic
The discovery proves that exoplanet detection techniques are improving, allowing scientists to find smaller, hidden worlds.
Representative pic
HD 20794 d is among the most Earth-like exoplanets known, making it a top target in the search for habitable worlds.
Representative pic