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A nearby \u201csuper-Earth\u201d exoplanet was recently discovered just 137 light-years away from Earth, prompting scientists to dig deeper into if it has the conditions to sustain life, NASA announced. <\/p>\n
The planet, dubbed TOI-715 b, is about one and a half times as wide as Earth and orbits within a conservative \u201chabitable zone\u201d around its parent star, NASA confirmed in a press release<\/a> last week. <\/p>\n NASA defines a habitable zone as the distance from the star that could give the planet the right temperature for liquid water to form on its surface. Astronomers noted other factors must line up for the planet to have a suitable atmosphere, though the planet\u2019s placement in the zone puts it in \u201cprime position\u201d from its parent star. <\/p>\n Its parent star is a red dwarf that is smaller and cooler than Earth\u2019s Sun, allowing the planet to \u201ccrowd closer,\u201d and have a tighter orbit. This orbit means a \u201cyear\u201d for the planet is equal to 19 Earth days and makes the planet more easily detectable and more frequently observed, according to the agency. <\/p>\n NASA said the planet was discovered by TESS, or the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite, launched in 2018. TESS has discovered a series<\/a> of other habitable zone exoplanets that can be more closely observed by NASA\u2019s James Webb Space Telescope. <\/p>\n The discovered system might also include a second Earth-sized planet that might also be just inside the conservative habitable zone. If this is confirmed, it would mark the smallest habitable-zone planet discovered by TESS so far, NASA noted. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media<\/a> Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.<\/p>\n If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n If you want to read more News<\/a> articles, you can visit our News category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n