Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

Dr. Trifon Trifonov works at the Max Planck Institute of Astronomy in Heidelberg

Bulgarian scientist discovers nearby "super-Earth" exoplanet

Photo: RenderArea

A Bulgarian planetary scientist has discovered a new nearby "super-Earth" exoplanet. The rocky-surface Gliese 486b is only 26 light years from Earth and is suitable for analysis. 

The discovery was published in the prestigious journal Science, as the leading author is Dr. Trifon Trifonov - an astronomer from the Max Planck Institute of Astronomy in Heidelberg, and a graduate of Sofia University, BTA reported.

Gliese 486b is one of the few exoplanets that can help scientists study the composition of the atmosphere rocky earth-like alien world and provide important information about the origin and evolution of earth-like planets, Trifonov said in an interview with the Bulgarian National Television. 

The scientist is part of the CARMENES consortium, uniting 11 scientific institutions in Spain and Germany. Their goal is to track more than 350 red dwarf stars.



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

First pelican chick of the season hatched near Tutrakan

The first Dalmatian Pelican of this season hatched a few days ago in the protected area Kalimok - Brushlen near the Danube town of Tutrakan, reports the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds "BirdLife Bulgaria". The parents are taking active..

published on 2/15/25 7:45 AM

The Jamala Masquerade Festival fills the town of Kyustendil with sound and colour

More than 4,000 participants from 52 masquerade groups from all over the country will take part in the Jamala National Masquerade Festival in Kyustendil on 15 and 16 February. A children's folklore procession will start from Velbazhd Square at 10.30 a.m...

published on 2/15/25 7:30 AM

Archaeology as a cause for people who unearth and protect Bulgaria’s historical heritage

With more 40 thousand archaeological sites and artifacts, Bulgaria is a true open-air museum. In terms of the number of finds, this country ranks third in the world after Italy and Greece. From the Neolithic, eight millennia ago, to..

published on 2/14/25 3:11 PM