Astronomers have discovered a planet similar in size to Earth. It is in orbit around a red dwarf star 55 light-years from the solar system.
The planet, called SPECULOOS-3 b, has a diameter similar to Earth's. But it only takes 17 hours to orbit SPECULOOS-3, which may occur in a tidal lock or the planet's rotation period equals the time it takes to orbit the star. This results in only one side facing the star. Just like the moon is only facing the earth.
The SPECULOOS-3 star has an average temperature of about 2627 degrees Celsius and is a red dwarf. This star is not much larger than Jupiter. But it has a greater mass and there is intense radiation that hits the rocky planets orbiting it. Astronomers even believe that planet SPECULOOS-3 b may not have an atmosphere.
The name Star and Planet is an abbreviation of the full name of the planet-hunting project EClipsing ULTra-cOOl Stars, led by Michael Gillon of the University of Liège in Belgium, which aims to study exoplanets orbiting red dwarf stars. This represents more than 70% of the stars in the Milky Way.
The planet was discovered using a network of telescopes focused on the star SPECULOOS-3 over several weeks. To examine dimmed starlight due to a planetary eclipse before it is confirmed and published in the journal Nature Astronomy on May 15.
Astronomers have now confirmed the discovery of 5,630 exoplanets, with tens of thousands more awaiting additional survey confirmation. There may be trillions of planets throughout the universe still waiting to be discovered by astronomers one day.
Image: NASA/JPL
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