Researchers have discovered a new planetary system, which includes three super-Earths and one huge outer world. The discovery has been made by the researchers from the University of Geneva (UNIGE). The new planetary system has been found at a distance of 21 light years from Earth.

Among such super-Earths, one passes close to the star and has a density close to the Earth’s. As a result, it has become the closest transiting planet known so far.

The planet is called HD 219134b; every three days, it circles its star and is 4.5 times Earth’s mass and 1.6 times bigger and planet hunters call it a super-Earth. As its mean density is almost similar to the density of the Earth, it indicates a probably of similar composition.

As per reports, its star, 5th magnitude K dwarf is somewhat colder and less huge than the Sun. It is quite bright, so much so that it could be followed with a naked eye in dark skies.

According to first author Ati Motalebi, astronomer at UNIGE, “When the first HARPS-N radial-velocity measurements indicated the presence of a 3-day planet around HD219134, we immediately asked NASA for Spitzer space telescope time. The idea was to check for a potential transit of the planet in front of the star, a mini eclipse”.

Motalebi added that it would make it possible to estimate the size of the planet and in order to do so, it was required to go to space for the required accuracy.