Gliese 581C: Our New Home?

Gliese 581C: Our New Home?

Gliese 581 is a star of spectral type M3V (a red dwarf) at the center of the Gliese 581 planetary system, about 20 light years away from Earth in the Libra constellation. Its estimated mass is about a third of that of the Sun, and it is the 89th closest known star to the Sun. Gliese 581 is one of the oldest, least active M dwarfs, its low stellar activity bodes better than most for its planets retaining significant atmospheres and from the sterilising impact of stellar flares.

Among the other stars, the following stand out:
γ Librae, that’s an orange star, in the north-central part of the constellation;
HD 140283, which has an incredible age of about 14 billion years, so it’s useful to set limits on the age of the universe;
Gliese 581, a red dwarf. Perhaps, the most special one.