A new exoplanet has been discovered in orbit around the Barnard star. This star is only 6 light-years away from us. The news was published November 14, 2018 in the journal Nature.
Barnard's Star b is enormous for a rocky planet, at least 3.2 times as massive as Earth. Although its orbit is roughly the same as Mercury's, the planet is probably a freezing wasteland thanks to the dim light from the star.
BARNARD b or GJ 699 b new Exoplanet
The planet orbiting Barnard's Star, may still have a chance at hosting life, despite its frigid temperatures.
New research suggests that heat generated by geothermal processes could warm pockets of water beneath the surface of the planet called Barnard's Star b, potentially providing havens for life to evolve. Images captured by NASA's much-delayed James Webb Space Telescope could help determine if the planet is the right size for that phenomenon to occur, and instruments coming even later in the future could identify signs of life.