Science, Space and Technology News 2024
New planet SPECULOOS-3b, discovered orbiting an ultracool dwarf star, likely lacks an atmosphere and offers unique insights into exoplanetary geology. Credit: SciTechDaily.com-sized star 55 light years away. Unlike Earth, this planet likely lacks an atmosphere due to intense radiation from its close proximity to the star, offering a unique unobstructed view for direct geological study of its surface composition and history.
Because it is so close to its star, the planet is blasted with 16 times more radiation per second compared to what the Earth receives from the sun. The team believes that such intense and relentless exposure has likely vaporized any atmosphere that the planet once held, leaving it an airless, exposed, blistering ball of rock.
SPECULOOS-3b is a nearby, Earth-sized planet that may lack an atmosphere. It was discovered using a network of telescopes as part of the SPECULOOS project. Pictured is the MIT Artemis telescope, part of the SPECULOOS network. Credit: D. PadrónAstronomers observed the first inklings of the new planet in 2021, with observations taken by SPECULOOS — a network of six robotic, 1-meter telescopes that continuously observe the sky for signs of planets orbiting around ultracool dwarf stars.
“While there were structures in the 2021 data that didn’t look convincing, the 2022 Artemis data really got our attention,” recalls MIT’s Artem Burdanov, who manages the SPECULOOS Northern Observatory. “We started to analyze one clear transit-like signal in the Artemis data, quickly decided to launch a campaign around this star, and then things just started lining up.”
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