astronomy

Gliese 48 b

Gliese 48 b is a astronomy topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Gliese 48 b rather than just read about it. In short: Gliese 48 b (also known as Ross 318 b) is an exoplanet orbiting within the habitable zone of the red dwarf star Gliese 48 (TIC 379084450). Located approximately 26.852 light-years (8.233 parsecs) from Earth, this temperate world is classified as a Super-Earth.

Key takeaways

Gliese 48 b belongs to astronomy; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Gliese 48 b to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Gliese 48 b from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Gliese 48 b (also known as Ross 318 b) is an exoplanet orbiting within the habitable zone of the red dwarf star Gliese 48 (TIC 379084450). Located approximately 26.852 light-years (8.233 parsecs) from Earth, this temperate world is classified as a Super-Earth. Following peer review, the discovery was officially published in the Open European Journal on Variable Stars (OEJV). Gliese 48 b orbits its parent star at a distance of about 0.1752 AU (26,210,000 km; 16,290,000 mi) with an orbital period of approximately 39.63 Earth days. While it has not been observed to transit its star, its minimum mass is 8.11 M🜨, with a measured radius of about 1.69 R⊕. Receiving a substantial fraction of the stellar flux, it is located within the conservative habitable zone and is a candidate for future atmospheric characterization.

Discovery The discovery of Ross 318 b was announced in May 2026 and subsequently peer-reviewed and published in the OEJV. The detection utilized a systematic re-analysis of radial velocity (RV) measurements from the CARMENES and HIRES spectrographs spanning over 15 years. The signal's validity was evaluated by its temporal coherence and achromatic nature across visible and near-infrared wavelengths. Photometric data from the TESS was used to search for transits. Although no transit events were detected, these observations allowed researchers to constrain the orbital inclination to under 89.3° and rule out larger transiting companions. Data and updates for the system are also tracked by the NASA Exoplanet Archive and ExoFOP-TESS.

Physical properties Ross 318 b orbits a relatively active M-dwarf star. The planet's orbit is modeled as circular ($e=0$). With a minimum mass of 8.11±1.63 M🜨 and a radius of 1.69±0.08 R🜨, it sits comfortably within the super-Earth regime. The planet is located within the conservative habitable zone of Ross 318. Its equilibrium temperature is estimated at 271 K (−2 °C; 28 °F). Because of its close proximity to the M-dwarf host, the planet is likely tidally locked, though a dense atmosphere could potentially redistribute heat between hemispheres.

Host star Ross 318 (Gliese 48, TIC 379084450) is an M3.5V red dwarf with a mass of approximately 0.462 M☉. The star exhibits significant magnetic activity, requiring careful separation of stellar activity signals from the planetary radial velocity variations during analysis.

See also List of potentially habitable exoplanets Ross 128 b Gliese 581 c

References

External links Ross 318 b at the Extrasolar Planets Encyclopaedia Gliese 48 at the NASA Exoplanet Archive ExoFOP-TESS target details for TIC 379084450

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Gliese 48 b

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Gliese 48 b claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In astronomy, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Gliese 48 b before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Gliese 48 b ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Gliese 48 b

In research: Gliese 48 b appears in astronomy research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Gliese 48 b in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Gliese 48 b is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Exoplanets detected by radial velocity, Exoplanets discovered in 2026, Super-Earths in the habitable zone, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Gliese 48 b outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Gliese 48 b in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Gliese 48 b means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Gliese 48 b out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Gliese 48 b in simple terms?

Why does Gliese 48 b matter?

Because it connects several astronomy ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Gliese 48 b?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Gliese 48 b.