Around Tau Ceti is located planet mass is two to six times greater than the mass of the Earth

Closest to the Earth single sun-like star is surrounded by five planets, one of which can be inhabited, as it may contain water. About it tell astronomers from the British at the University of Hertfordshire, which cites the Russian service Bi-bi-si.

The system of five planets around the star Tau Ceti was found among open data astronomical observations specifically for "hunters planets". Complex analysis methods used in the study may help to find a more distant planet.

The star Tau Ceti now is in line with the triple star alpha Centauri, located close to the Ground and is also surrounded by planets. In both cases, the planetary system was able to detect not using a telescope, and measuring barely noticeable changes in the radiation of the stars.

When the planets revolve around the star, she is also a little move, and with the Earth's motion looks like a minor change the color of its radiation. This method, which is called the radial velocity measurement, quite misleading, because emitting color can be changed for other reasons.

To find these among this planet "lighting noise", scientists use sophisticated technology. Professor Hugh Jones of the University of Hertfordshire and his colleagues were able to detect planets around the star Tau Ceti, perfecting his method "modeling of noise" and having the opportunity to remove the extra signals. "This is the star, about which we have a lot of data is much higher than we know about almost any other star" - said Hugh Jones.

Around Tau Ceti is located planet mass is two to six times greater than the mass of the Earth. The time of their turnover around a star is from 14 to 640 days. One of the planet, called HD 10700e, location in relation to the Tau Ceti two times closer than the Earth relative to the Sun. Because Tau Ceti is somewhat less than the Sun in size and brightness of the light, this planet is in the so-called "habitable zone".

At present we know about 854 confirmed planets, and their number is growing with each new publication.