Astronomers discover new super-Earth in habitable zone only 137 light-years away

An international team of scientists have discovered a super-Earth in the habitable zone around its star that lies only 137 light-years away. Dubbed TOI-715 b, the planet is about one and a half times as wide as Earth and dwells inside the conservative habitable zone - the distance that could give the planet the right temperature for liquid water to form on its surface.

The same system also might harbour a second, Earth-sized planet. If confirmed, it would become the smallest habitable-zone planet discovered by the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) so far.

Discovery alert! 🚨 Meet a 'super-Earth!' At about one and a half times as wide as Earth, TOI-715 b orbits its star within the "conservative" habitable zone — the distance that could give the planet the right temperature for surface liquid water to form: https://t.co/TNXIJMBVU2 pic.twitter.com/wSAhY7kNFx

— NASA 360 (@NASA360) February 2, 2024

This discovery was made possible using the Gemini-South, Las Cumbres Observatory telescopes, the ExTrA telescopes, the SPECULOOS network, and the TRAPPIST-south telescope.

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) could more closely scrutinize the newly found planet, perhaps even for signs of an atmosphere and its composition, if present. Determining the atmospheric composition could offer clues to the possible presence of life.