NASA discovers 'super Earth' planet emitting mysterious signal
The planet, named TOI-1846 b, is almost twice the size of Earth and four times as massive.
It orbits a small, cool red dwarf star every four days and causes a strange, repeated dip in the star's light, a signal that first caught scientists' attention when NASA's TESS space telescope observed the dimming pattern in March of each year.
Now confirmed by a team of scientists using both space and ground-based telescopes, TOI-1846 b falls into the so-called 'radius gap,' a rare category between small, rocky planets like Earth and larger, gas-rich planets like Neptune.
Despite an estimated surface temperature of 600°F, researchers say the planet may still hold water. It's believed to have a solid rocky core, a dense ice layer, and potentially even a shallow ocean or thin atmosphere.
The host star is a "red dwarf," approximately 40 percent smaller in size and mass than the Sun.
NASA scientists hope that the James Webb Space Telescope will soon target TOI-1846 b to study its atmosphere using infrared light. Under favourable conditions, Webb will be able to detect signs of water vapour, methane, carbon dioxide, or other gases.
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