As of: February 7, 2024, 9:01 p.m
By: Lennart Schwenck
Comments
Press
Split
NASA discovers a super-Earth in our cosmic neighborhood.
Because it is located in the habitable zone of its star, it arouses research interest.
Birmingham - Eyes are once again turning to the depths of space, where a fascinating discovery awaits us: a "super-Earth" called TOI-715 b orbits a red dwarf star just 137 light-years away and therefore away from science declared as being within reach.
According to NASA, this discovery could not only deepen our understanding of exoplanets, but also provide clues about the possibility of life.
An international team of scientists led by Georgina Dransfield from the University of Birmingham published
an article about their discovery in the journal
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society in January 2024.
Various international facilities were used to confirm the planet, including Gemini-South, the Las Cumbres Observatory telescopes, the "Extra" telescopes, the Speculoos network and the Trappist South Telescope, which ultimately verified the discovery.
This illustration shows what the planet TOI-715 b, a super-Earth in the habitable zone around its star, might look like to a nearby observer.
© NASA/JPL Caltech
NASA's search for Plan(et) B: Does humanity's future lie on exoplanets in space?
TOI-715 b is about one and a half times the size of Earth and is within the “conservative” habitable zone around its red dwarf star.
This zone is the optimal distance that could allow the planet to have liquid water on its surface - a crucial requirement for life to exist.
Although other factors such as the atmosphere play a role, the conservative habitable zone positions it favorably for further, more detailed study.
TOI-715 b is presumably located directly next to another planet, which could be only slightly larger than Earth and also be within the habitable zone.
The calculated orbits of both planets now offer researchers a unique opportunity to find out more about the diversity of exoplanets and their potential habitability.
In Search of Life: Is There a Second Earth?
© Imago Images
TOI-715 b: Exoplanet is particularly exciting for research
TOI-715 b could appear at just the right time.
Its parent star, a red dwarf, is smaller and cooler than our sun.
Red dwarfs are considered promising candidates for the search for habitable planets because they can host small, rocky worlds.
The narrower orbits also allow for more frequent transits, making the discovery and observation of such planets easier.
My news
Concern about NASA probe: “It would be the biggest miracle if we got 'Voyager 1' back” read
Lost land discovered: habitat for half a million people
NASA rover discovers clear evidence of ancient water on Mars
Stars on the edge of the Milky Way behave strangely “Something is wrong somewhere” read
1 hour ago
Trigger discovered: That's why tardigrades are almost immortal
When the next full moon will be in the sky - read the list with all the dates for 2024
What is a transit?
A transit is when one object crosses in front of another in space.
This can be done in many different ways.
An example is when the moon passes between the earth and the sun.
An example of a transit would be a solar eclipse: the moon “crosses” the sun.
Planets outside our solar system are called exoplanets.
When a planet's orbit is aligned just right, the planet will pass in front of the star it orbits (transit).
Searching for transits is one of the methods researchers use to detect exoplanets.
During a transit, the star's light dims by a very small amount.
This attenuation can be measured.
Source: NASA
The discovery of TOI-715 b joins a list of planets found as part of the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) project.
TESS has been actively searching for exoplanets in the habitable zone since its launch in 2018.
The discovery of TOI-715 b exceeds expectations as it represents an Earth-sized world in the habitable zone that can now be studied in more detail.
(
ls
)