“Toi-733b: Rare Exoplanet Twice the Size of Earth and covered in Ocean Discovered by NASA’s TESS”

Scientists recently discovered TOI-733b, a rare exoplanet roughly twice the size of Earth and apparently covered in an ocean.

Located 245 light-years away, it was identified using NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS).

TOI-733b orbits a star slightly smaller than our Sun, with a period of 4.9 days, and its unique features could hold vital information about planet formation in the universe.

The researchers are particularly intrigued by the size of the planet. There is a notable gap in the number of exoplanets that fall between the super-Earth category (up to 1.5 Earth radii) and mini-Neptunes (more than two Earth radii), termed the “lightning valley”.

NASA theorizes that these planets could be the cores of Neptune-like worlds. Some exoplanets may lose their atmospheres due to the proximity of stars, turning into smaller, ground-off cores on the lower side of the radius valley, or “rocky planets”. Alternatively, the phenomenon could be caused by internal processes driven by the heat of the exoplanet’s core.

TOI-733b, which lies within the lightning valley, is crucial to understanding this mystery. The research, led by Iskra Georgieva of Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden, has been accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysics and is also available on the prepublish server. arXiv.

Illustrative image: Mysteries of the World

Density measurements suggest that TOI-733b may have lost its atmosphere or be entirely covered in water. Some data points indicate that the planet’s atmosphere is slowly depleting, possibly due to heat from the orbiting star. If true, TOI-733b could eventually become a rocky planet. Alternatively, the planet may have lost its hydrogen and helium, retaining an atmosphere of water vapor or heavier elements.

The researchers emphasize that determining whether TOI-733b has a secondary atmosphere or is an oceanic planet is essential for furthering our understanding of exoplanets. The discovery of TOI-733b is considered significant in the field of astronomy, as it could be a small but vital piece of the puzzle in exoplanet science.

The paper concludes optimistically, stating that with the increasing sophistication of theoretical analyzes and the potential for high-precision follow-up studies using current and future facilities, we are well on our way to answering important questions related to the formation and evolution of planets.