Researchers from Nasa’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the University of New Mexico have discovered an exoplanet named ‘TOI-1231 b’ orbiting an M dwarf star – otherwise known as a red dwarf.
Located 90 light-years away from Earth, it has a potentially rich atmosphere that may contain water clouds. Nasa said that the newly discovered exoplanet is more than three-and-a half times as big as Earth, calling it “oddly reminiscent” of Neptune.
Its atmosphere is approximately 330 Kelvin or 140 degrees Fahrenheit, making TOI-1231b one of the coolest, small exoplanets accessible for atmospheric studies discovered yet. It is possible that there may be clouds high present high in the atmosphere, and possibly evidence of water.
Nasa said that the exoplanet could offer scientists the chance to capture a “bar-code” type reading of the atmosphere of a temperate planet orbiting another star.
“This will allow comparisons with similar worlds elsewhere in the galaxy, bringing potentially deep insights into the composition and formation of exoplanets and planetary systems, including our own,” Nasa’s exoplanet exploration programme said in a statement.
“Future observations of this new planet will let us determine just how common (or rare) it is for water clouds to form around these temperate worlds,” said Nasa JPL scientist Jennifer Burt, with assistant professor in UNM’s Department of Physics and Astronomy Diana Dragomir adding that further study will be necessary to understand precisely how it is composed.
“The low density of TOI 1231b indicates that it is surrounded by a substantial atmosphere rather than being a rocky planet. But the composition and extent of this atmosphere are unknown!” said Dragomir.
