Gliese 12 b orbits around a central star named Gliese 12, which is a type of star known as a red dwarf. Red dwarfs are smaller, cooler and more abundant than the G-Type stars like our Sun.

Gliese 12 b’s estimated size may be as large as Earth or slightly smaller — comparable to Venus in our solar system. This artist’s concept compares Earth with different possible Gliese 12 b ...

Gliese 12 b, which orbits a cool, red dwarf star located just 40 light-years away, promises to tell astronomers more about how planets close to their stars retain or lose their atmospheres.