Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
Astronomers have discovered a rocky exoplanet about a few dozen light years away from Earth with conditions that could make it habitable.
The team found what it describes as an "Earth-mass exoplanet" orbiting around the red dwarf star Wolf 1069.
The exoplanet, named Wolf 1069 b, is notable for being one of few exoplanets discovered that occupy the so-called "circumstellar habitable zone," or the range where water can stay in liquid form on the planet's surface.
At 31 light years away, Wolf 1069 b is the sixth closest Earth-mass planet to us.
The results were published in the peer-reviewed journal Astronomy and Astrophysics.
"When we analysed the data of the star Wolf 1069, we discovered a clear, low-amplitude signal of what appears to be a planet of roughly Earth mass," Diana Kossakowski of the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy in Germany and main author of the study said in a news release from Feb. 3.
"It orbits the star within 15.6 days at a distance equivalent to one-fifteenth of the separation between the Earth and the Sun."
The astronomers located the planet by looking at low-mass stars such as red dwarfs.
Despite being relatively close together, the red dwarf star the astronomers observed for the study releases less radiation and has a cooler surface, making it appear orange.
This means that planets orbiting around the star could still be habitable despite being closer.
Using computer simulations and climate models, the researchers say the exoplanet may also have temperatures moderate enough to keep its surface water liquid.
The type of atmosphere the planet could have would protect it from the stellar winds and UV radiation that typically come from red dwarf stars, the astronomers say.
Another feature of Wolf 1069 b is that its rotation may be tidally locked to its orbit, meaning the same side always faces the star and experiences eternal daylight, similar to the Earth's moon.
Tidal forces would also slightly change the planet's shape into an ellipsoid, the researchers say, meaning the star's gravity would act differently on the planet's surface making certain areas potentially habitable.
Last month, researchers announced that the James Webb Space Telescope had discovered its first exoplanet, LHS 475 b, a rocky world 41 light years away from, and nearly the same size as, Earth.
With files from CNN
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
Premier Wab Kinew and federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre met at the Manitoba legislature Thursday afternoon.
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.
Former Humboldt Broncos goaltender and bus crash survivor Jacob Wassermann has qualified Canada for a rowing event for the 2024 Paralympic games in Paris.
B.C. conservation officers recently seized a nine-foot-long Burmese python from a home in Chilliwack.
A New Brunswicker will go to bed Thursday night much richer than he was Wednesday after collecting on a winning lottery ticket he let sit on his bedroom dresser for nearly a year.
The Ontario government is introducing changes to auto-insurance, but some experts say the move is ill-advised.
A Toronto restaurant introduced a surprising new rule that reduced the cost of a meal and raised the salaries of staff.
Newfoundland’s unique version of the Pine Marten has grown out of its threatened designation.
A Toronto man is out $12,000 after falling victim to a deepfake cryptocurrency scam that appeared to involve Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
It started small with a little pop tab collection to simply raise some money for charity and help someone — but it didn’t take long for word to get out that 10-year-old Jace Weber from Mildmay, Ont. was quickly building up a large supply of aluminum pop tabs.
There’s a group of people in Saskatoon that proudly call themselves dumpster divers, and they’re turning the city’s trash into treasure.
Ontario is facing a larger than anticipated deficit but the Doug Ford government still plans to balance its books before the next provincial election.