NASA Unveils Fascinating ‘Super Earth’ with Mysterious Signal: What It Could Mean for Our Understanding of the Universe

NASA has made an exciting discovery: a mysterious ‘super-Earth’ called TOI-1846 b, located 154 light-years away. This planet is nearly twice the size of Earth and four times as massive. It orbits a small red dwarf star every four days, causing a unique pattern of dimming light that caught scientists’ attention.

TOI-1846 b fits into a rare category of planets between rocky worlds like ours and gas giants like Neptune. Researchers think it might have a solid core, an ice layer, and possibly water, despite its scorching surface temperature of about 600°F. Abderahmane Soubkiou, a lead researcher at Oukaimeden Observatory in Morocco, confirmed the planet’s details using data from NASA’s TESS and various ground-based telescopes.

The planet’s red dwarf star is much smaller and cooler than our sun, which means TOI-1846 b orbits closely. This proximity makes it easier to detect changes in brightness, which TESS has been doing since its launch in 2018. In fact, TESS has identified over 7,600 transit events and confirmed more than 630 planets.

What’s intriguing about TOI-1846 b is that it might be tidally locked, always showing the same side to its star. This could create areas on the planet that trap heat differently, potentially allowing for stable water in cooler regions.

NASA hopes to use the James Webb Space Telescope to study TOI-1846 b’s atmosphere. If conditions allow, it might pick up signs of water vapor or other gases. Ground-based telescopes like the Gemini Observatory are also involved, looking for subtle changes in the star caused by the planet’s gravitational pull. These observations may hint at more planets in the same system.

Interestingly, TOI-1846 b is not alone. There’s another super-Earth called TOI-715 b, orbiting a red dwarf 137 light-years away. These discoveries help astronomers understand why some smaller planets lose their atmospheres while others retain them.

With red dwarf stars making up around 75% of all stars in our Milky Way, studying planets like TOI-1846 b could unveil many more potentially habitable worlds. As we explore this cosmic neighborhood, we may find that our understanding of life beyond Earth is just beginning.



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