emirates7 - NASA has identified a mysterious "super-Earth" known as TOI-1846 b, located about 154 light-years away, which appears to emit a recurring signal.
This exoplanet is nearly twice the size of Earth and has four times its mass. It orbits a cool, small red dwarf star once every four days. Scientists first noticed an unusual, repeating dimming in the star’s brightness—initially detected by NASA’s TESS space telescope each March—which hinted at the presence of the planet.
TOI-1846 b has now been officially confirmed through a combination of space-based and ground-based observations. It falls within the rare "radius gap" category, which lies between smaller, rocky planets like Earth and larger, gas-dominated ones like Neptune.
Although its surface is estimated to reach around 600°F (315°C), scientists believe the planet might still contain water. Its structure is thought to include a solid rocky core, a dense ice layer, and possibly even a thin atmosphere or a shallow ocean.
The planet orbits a red dwarf star that is about 40% smaller in mass and size than our Sun. NASA researchers plan to use the James Webb Space Telescope to analyze TOI-1846 b’s atmosphere. With its infrared capabilities, the telescope may be able to detect traces of water vapor, methane, carbon dioxide, or other atmospheric gases—if conditions allow.
This exoplanet is nearly twice the size of Earth and has four times its mass. It orbits a cool, small red dwarf star once every four days. Scientists first noticed an unusual, repeating dimming in the star’s brightness—initially detected by NASA’s TESS space telescope each March—which hinted at the presence of the planet.
TOI-1846 b has now been officially confirmed through a combination of space-based and ground-based observations. It falls within the rare "radius gap" category, which lies between smaller, rocky planets like Earth and larger, gas-dominated ones like Neptune.
Although its surface is estimated to reach around 600°F (315°C), scientists believe the planet might still contain water. Its structure is thought to include a solid rocky core, a dense ice layer, and possibly even a thin atmosphere or a shallow ocean.
The planet orbits a red dwarf star that is about 40% smaller in mass and size than our Sun. NASA researchers plan to use the James Webb Space Telescope to analyze TOI-1846 b’s atmosphere. With its infrared capabilities, the telescope may be able to detect traces of water vapor, methane, carbon dioxide, or other atmospheric gases—if conditions allow.