Potentially Habitable “Super-Earth” Discovered 137 Light-Years Away
Washington D.C., February 5, 2024 – In a development that could ignite excitement in the search for extraterrestrial life, NASA has announced the discovery of a “super-Earth” planet potentially capable of supporting life. Located 137 light-years from Earth, the planet, named TOI-715 b, is roughly 1.5 times wider than Earth and orbits within its star’s habitable zone, suggesting the possibility of liquid water on its surface.
“This ‘super-Earth’ ripe for further investigation orbits a small, red dwarf star that is, by astronomical standards, fairly close to us – only 137 light-years away,” NASA stated in a press release. “The same system also might harbor a second, Earth-sized planet.”
While TOI-715 b’s suitability for life remains an open question, its position within the “conservative habitable zone” – a narrower and potentially more reliable definition than the broader “optimistic” zone – makes it a prime candidate for further study. However, NASA cautions that other factors, like the planet’s atmosphere, would need to be favorable for liquid water to exist.
TOI-715 b orbits a red dwarf star, smaller and cooler than our sun. Such stars are known to host “small, rocky worlds” that can orbit closer due to their cooler temperatures, potentially placing them within the habitable zone. This proximity allows for easier detection by space telescopes like TESS, which identified TOI-715 b.
NASA plans to utilize the more powerful James Webb Space Telescope to gather further information about the planet’s properties and assess its potential for life. This discovery adds to the growing list of potentially habitable exoplanets, highlighting the ongoing search for life beyond our own solar system. (Report)