Astronomers Discover Giant 'Mega-Earth' with Mass 23 Times That of Earth
Astronomers have successfully identified an extraordinarily large exoplanet categorised as a ‘Mega-Earth’. This giant rocky planet has a recorded mass reaching 23 times that of Earth, making it one of the most massive solid planets ever discovered by humanity.
The planet, officially named LHS 1140 b, is located in another star system approximately 48 light-years from Earth, specifically within the constellation Cetus. The discovery has captivated the global astronomy community because its size exceeds the typical limits of the ‘Super-Earth’ rocky planet category.
Although it has a mass 23 times heavier, the diameter of LHS 1140 b is estimated to be only about 1.7 times that of Earth. The combination of a relatively modest physical size and an extremely heavy mass indicates that LHS 1140 b has a very high density, with its main constituent structure being solid rock and an extremely dense iron core.
This giant planet orbits a red dwarf star that is smaller and cooler than our Sun. Interestingly, LHS 1140 b orbits within an area known as the habitable zone, the ideal distance at which a planet’s surface temperature allows water to exist in liquid form, rather than freezing or evaporating.
The habitable zone is one of the primary requirements used by scientists to measure the potential for life beyond Earth. Although it orbits a red dwarf star, which are generally known to frequently emit deadly flare radiation, the host star of LHS 1140 b is relatively calm and emits less harmful radiation compared to similar stars.
The atmospheric conditions and stability of the host star provide great hope for researchers. LHS 1140 b has now become one of the primary targets for further atmospheric observation studies using advanced space telescopes, in order to detect the presence of water vapour, oxygen, or other chemical signatures supporting life in the future.
Scientists have successfully confirmed an atmosphere on the rocky planet LHS 1140 b in the habitable zone. This is a historic discovery in the search for extraterrestrial life.
LHS 1140 b orbits a red dwarf star located about 48 light-years from Earth in the constellation Cetus. The planet was first discovered in 2017.
A team of astronomers from Harvard University has found initial evidence of an atmosphere and potential water oceans on the super-Earth exoplanet LHS 1140 b using the James Webb Space Telescope.