Astronomers Just Found An Ocean-Covered Super-Earth And It's Amazing

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Published 2022-09-11

As the James Webb Space Telescope begins its exploration of distant exoplanets, astronomers have found a potential water-covered ocean world about 100 light years away in the Draco constellation. The planet has been named TOI-1452 b and was discovered using NASA's TESS (Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite).

One of the most fundamental reasons life exists on Earth is the abundance of liquid water on its surface. Evidence suggests that life probably began on Earth in the ocean at least 3.5 billion years ago. So when searching for alien life beyond our planet, these water worlds are expected to be the best shot.

So how did astronomers discover this distant exoplanet? How do they know it harbors a planet-wide ocean of liquid water? Finally, and most importantly, what are the chances that life exists in this water world?

The 24th episode of the Sunday Discovery Series answers these questions in detail.

All Episodes Of The Series: bit.ly/369kG4p
Basics of Astrophysics series: bit.ly/3xII54M

REFERENCES:

Research Paper: bit.ly/3B6IEJp
5000+ exoplanets confirmed: go.nasa.gov/3B9UjHd
Transit method: bit.ly/3Bwa6l4
Radial velocity method: bit.ly/3BGbdix

Created By: Rishabh Nakra and Simran Buttar
Narrated By: Jeffrey Smith

Resources:
Clips: NASA/ESO/ESA/University of Montreal/VideoBlocks/Pond5/Envato
Music: MotionElements

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