NASA Unveils Exciting Discovery: Potential Ocean-World ‘Super-Earth’ Orbiting Nearby Red Dwarf Star!

In March 2025, NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) detected a faint flicker of starlight. This signal led to the discovery of TOI-1846 b, a super-Earth located 154 light-years away in the constellation Lyra.

The planet was found by Abderahmane Soubkiou and his team at Oukaimeden Observatory in Morocco, who collaborated with astronomers across four continents. After analyzing TESS data alongside telescope images, light measurements, and older star photos, NASA confirmed the discovery.

TESS, which launched in April 2018, cleverly tracks celestial bodies by observing tiny dips in light when a planet crosses in front of its star. So far, TESS has identified over 7,600 potential planets, with around 630 confirmed as real worlds.

TOI-1846 b is intriguing due to its size. It’s nearly twice as wide as Earth and about four times its weight. This combination suggests it might have a dense ice layer beneath its surface, potentially topped with a thin atmosphere or even a shallow ocean. Even though surface temperatures are quite high—around 600°F—it’s possible water exists due to the planet’s unique position relative to its star.

Interestingly, TOI-1846 is classified as a red dwarf, a type of star that makes up about 75% of the stars in our galaxy. These smaller, cooler stars make it easier to detect small planets. The proximity of many red dwarfs to Earth gives astronomers more opportunities to study potentially habitable worlds.

A key focus in exoplanet research is the “radius valley,” a gap in sizes observed among planets. This valley separates rocky super-Earths from gassy sub-Neptunes. TOI-1846 b could help scientists understand why some planets lose their gaseous envelopes while others retain thick atmospheres.

Upcoming observations with advanced telescopes, like the Gemini North telescope in Hawaii, will further refine our understanding of TOI-1846 b. Researchers plan to measure its mass and search for other planets in its system, potentially revealing more about the conditions that could allow for liquid water.

As we deepen our understanding of TOI-1846 b, we move closer to uncovering the mysteries of small-star systems. Each new find brings us one step closer to identifying Earth-like planets in our cosmic neighborhood.

For further reading on exoplanets and their significance, you can visit NASA’s exoplanet exploration page here.

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