Gliese 1061 c, also known as GJ 1061 c, is a potentially habitable super-Earth orbiting the red dwarf star Gliese 1061.
Host star[]
Gliese 1061 is a red dwarf star located 11.984 ± 0.001 light years away from Earth, making it the 3rd closest potentially habitable exoplanet. It has an estimated mass of about 12.5% that of the Sun and is only about 0.2% as luminous. Gliese 1061 is a non-variable star, meaning it is weakly active and magnetically evolved; this increases the chance of any habitable planets around it retaining their atmosphere. It is about 7 ± 0.5 billion years old, about twice the age of the Sun.
Habitability[]
Gliese 1061 c has a high probability of habitability. It recieves around 123.7% to 145.1% the light that Earth recieves, which is in the optimistic habitable zone. Provided the atmosphere is Earth-like, the surface temperature would therefore be quite comfortable at 25.7 to 36.5°C (78.2 to 97.6°F). This means that the surface likely has large swamps, marshlands, and jungles with a tropical monsoon climate.
It is potentially a mini-Neptune due to its large mass; in this case, the expected range for gravity is 6.106 to 8.548 m/s2 (0.623 to 0.871 g). With an Earth-like density, a gravity of 11.266 to 12.31 m/s2 (1.149 to 1.225 g) is to be expected. If averaged out, for a more realistic estimate, its gravity is closer to 9.558 m/s2, just 2.5% less than Earth's gravity.
Moreover, if it is a mini-Neptune, its habitability might be bolstered by the presence of prebiotically relevant compounds such as ammonia, methane, and carbon dioxide similar to K2-18 b, as well as an energy source for life (hydrogen gas) and a global ocean.
Its aforementioned high mass strongly suggests the presence of geological activity, the three most important consequences of which are volcanic activity, plate tectonics, and convective currents in the outer core producing a protective magnetosphere.
Gliese 1061 c is tidally locked unless it has an eccentric orbit, however oceanic and atmospheric currents can distribute heat, which is why it should not be very important to its habitability.