Breakthrough Discovery: Astronomers Find 'Water-Rich Super-Earth' Twice the Size of Earth

The long wait for scientists to find water on a planet other than Earth may finally be nearing its end. Astronomers have discovered a new planet believed to be rich in water. This "Super-Earth" was identified by a team of astronomers led by Abdurrahman Sabkiu from the Oukaimeden Laboratory in Morocco.

The research team used NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) to find this new planet. The newly discovered planet has been named TOI-1846 b.

TOI-1846 b: Twice as Big and Four Times Heavier Than Earth

The team that discovered TOI-1846 b believes the planet is around 7.2 billion years old and could possess a significant reservoir of water. TOI-1846 b is located approximately 154 light-years from Earth. It is about twice the size of Earth and more than four times heavier. According to the researchers, the planet’s radius is 1.792 times that of Earth, and its mass is 4.4 times greater.

A Year on This Planet Lasts Just Four Days

According to the research, TOI-1846 b completes an orbit around its star every 3.93 days, meaning one year on this planet is just under four Earth days. The estimated temperature on TOI-1846 b is around 568.1 K (295°C). To confirm the presence of TOI-1846 b, scientists used a combination of TESS data, ground-based color photography, high-resolution imaging, and spectroscopic techniques.

Could This Planet Be Full of Water?

Scientists believe this Super-Earth could be water-rich, although more research is required to confirm this. They plan to use Radial Velocity (RV) techniques to better understand the planet’s composition. RV analysis will help determine more accurately whether or not water truly exists on the planet.

Second Super-Earth Discovery This Year

Earlier this year, scientists discovered another Super-Earth named HD 20794 d, which is six times heavier than Earth. It is believed that water may also exist on the surface of that planet. HD 20794 d is located 20 light-years away and orbits a star in a pattern similar to Earth’s orbit around the Sun. However, unlike Earth, its orbit is not circular, making it difficult to determine whether life could be possible on the planet.