NASA discovers 'super-Earth' located 137 light years away, life might sustain

A planet that might harbour life has been identified as a "super-Earth" by the US space agency NASA. It's 137 light-years away from us. In a press release, they announced the same thing, saying that "A 'super-Earth' ripe for further investigation orbits a small, reddish star that is, by astronomical standards, fairly close to us - only 137 light-years away. The same system also might harbour a second, Earth-sized planet."

NASA reports that the planet, known as TOI-715 b, is about 1.5 times wider than Earth and that it orbits within the "conservative" habitable zone around its parent star, which may mean that liquid water may eventually form on the planet's surface. In just nineteen days, it completes one orbit, or a year

 They added,"Several other factors would have to line up, of course, for surface water to be present, especially having a suitable atmosphere. But the conservative habitable zone - a narrower and potentially more robust definition than the broader 'optimistic' habitable zone - puts it in prime position, at least by the rough measurements made so far. The smaller planet could be only slightly larger than Earth, and also might dwell just inside the conservative habitable zone."

NASA added, "The planet circles a red dwarf, which is smaller and cooler than the Sun. Like this case, a number of such stars are known to host "small, rocky worlds." 

 It further added, "These planets make far closer orbits than those around stars like our Sun, but because red dwarfs are smaller and cooler, the planets can crowd closer and still be safely within the star's habitable zone. The tighter orbits also mean those that cross the faces of their stars - that is, when viewed by our space telescopes - cross far more often."

The new planet was discovered by the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS). Because an orbit takes less time to complete, scientists are better able to identify and investigate the planet. Much of the space agency's planned James Webb telescope examination of the planet will rely on its characteristics.

NASA said in the release,"Much will depend on the planet's other properties, including how massive it is and whether it can be classed as a "water world" - making its atmosphere, if present, more prominent and far less difficult to detect than that of a more massive, denser and drier world, likely to hold its lower-profile atmosphere closer to the surface."