‘Super-Earth’: Nasa discovers a potentially habitable planet, 137 light-years away – Times of India

US space agency Nasa has announced the finding of a “super-Earth,” a planet that could potentially sustain life, located 137 light-years away from our planet.
According to Nasa, the new discovery is a “super-Earth” that warrants further investigation as it is in the orbit of a small, reddish star relatively close to us – only 137 light-years away. Nasa also suggests that there might be a second, Earth-sized planet in the same system.
The newly identified planet, named TOI-715 b, is about 1.5 times the size of Earth and orbits a small, reddish star in close proximity to us in astronomical terms. Nasa indicates that it may be located within the “conservative” habitable zone where the presence of liquid water on its surface is possible. The planet completes a full orbit in 19 days.
Nasa explained, “Several other conditions would need to be met for there to be surface water, including having an appropriate atmosphere. However, the conservative habitable zone – a narrower and potentially more robust definition than the broader ‘optimistic’ habitable zone – indicates that it is in a favorable position based on the initial measurements taken so far. The smaller planet could be slightly larger than Earth and may also exist just inside the conservative habitable zone.”
The planet orbits a red dwarf, a star that is smaller and cooler compared to the Sun. Many of these stars are known to host “small, rocky worlds.”
Nasa said, “These planets have much closer orbits than those around stars like our Sun, but due to the smaller and cooler nature of red dwarfs, the planets can be closer and still safely within the star’s habitable zone. The closer orbits also lead to these planets being more frequently visible when they pass in front of their stars, particularly when observed by space telescopes.”
The discovery was made by the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), which benefits from the shorter orbit duration in detecting and studying the planet. Nasa intends to further investigate TOI-715 b using the James Webb telescope, focusing on factors such as the planet’s mass and its potential classification as a “water world.” The planet’s characteristics will play a crucial role in understanding its atmosphere and the possibility of habitability.

Author: OpenAI