In January 2020, NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) mission discovered an exoplanet called TOI 700d. This Earth-sized planet is located about 100 light-years away from us in the constellation Dorado, and it's in the habitable zone of its host star, TOI 700. In this article, we'll take a closer look at TOI 700d and what makes it such an exciting discovery for astronomers.
TOI 700d is an exoplanet that's similar in size and mass to Earth, which means that it could have a rocky surface. Its host star, TOI 700, is an M dwarf star that's about 40% of the Sun's size and temperature. TOI 700d orbits its star every 37 days, which puts it in the habitable zone, the region around a star where conditions are just right for liquid water to exist on a planet's surface.
One of the reasons why TOI 700d is so interesting is that it's one of the few exoplanets we've discovered that's both Earth-sized and in the habitable zone. This means that it's a prime candidate for potentially harboring life, although we don't have any direct evidence of this yet. Astronomers are planning to use the James Webb Space Telescope, set to launch in 2021, to study TOI 700d's atmosphere and search for signs of life.
Another interesting aspect of TOI 700d is that it's part of a multi-planet system. TOI 700b and c are two other exoplanets that were discovered in the same system, although they orbit closer to the star and are unlikely to be habitable. The discovery of multiple planets in the same system can help astronomers better understand how planetary systems form and evolve.
The discovery of TOI 700d is an exciting development in the field of exoplanet research. Its location in the habitable zone and Earth-like size make it a promising target for further study, and we may learn more about its potential for life in the coming years. As our technology for detecting and studying exoplanets continues to improve, we may discover even more Earth-like worlds in the habitable zones of distant stars.