Scientists discover two exoplanets orbiting closely around a red dwarf star

Scientists and astronomers have recently discovered a "peculiar pair" of planets orbiting around a red dwarf star called TOI-1266. As se planets are not a part of our solar system, y’ve been deemed as exoplanets. Mexico-based SAINT-EX telescope, which is co-operated by NCCR PlanetS, was used to spot planets. Re on to know more about intriguing new worlds.

Re | NASA: 'Protective BFF' Moon 'always h Earth's back', shielded planet from solar storms

Two planets discovered orbiting a red dwarf star closely

According to a study published in Science Daily, Mexico based telescope was source of this discovery. telescope is often known for its high precision and takes an important step in quest of finding potentially habitable worlds. red dwarf star that se planets are orbiting is reportedly cooler than our Sun.

thing about cool stars such as TOI-1266 is that y allow liquid water to exist, even in planets that are closest to m. Hence, TOI-1266 b and c might be habitable worlds. distance between an exoplanet and its star is a crucial factor for orising or detecting presence of water. star itself is around 120 light-years away from Earth.

Re | NASA reveals how Moon's magnetic field with Earth helped planet evolve

source of this study is research conducted by astronomers at University of Bern. It furr suggests that outer planet has approximately same temperature as Venus, even though it is 7 times closer to its star than Venus is to Sun. TOI-1266 b and c are so close to ir star that it takes m only 11 and 19 days respectively to orbit it. 

Re | NASA To Brocast OSIRIS-REx Asteroid Sample Collection Activities

What are se two peculiar exoplanets like?

Brice-Olivier Demory is le author of study and a Professor of Astrophysics at University of Bern. He explains that both planets are of similar density. y are quite possibly composed of about a half of rocky and metallic material and half water. This makes m half as rocky as Earth or Venus but also far rockier than Uranus or Neptune. 

Re | NASA Shares 3-D Visualisation Of 'bizarre Structures' In Carine Nebula | WATCH

However, in terms of size, se planets differ starkly.  inner planet, TOI-1266 b, measures up to a little under two-and-a-half times Earth's diameter, while outer planet, TOI-1266 c, is just over one-and-a-half times size of our planet, it thus belongs to category of Super-Earth. Yilen Gómez Maqueo Chew, SAINT-EX Project Coordinator and researcher at National Autonomous University of Mexico has stated in study that being able to study two different s of planets in same system is a great opportunity to understand how se different sized planets came into existence.

What are Exoplanets?

According to NASA, planets beyond our solar system that orbit around or stars are called exoplanets. Exoplanets are very hard to spot as, more than often y are hidden behind super bright glare of stars y orbit. refore, astronomers search for exoplanets by looking at effects se planets have on stars y orbit around. For instance, by observing how brightness of star changes during transit, astronomers can analyse and predict size of planet.

Image Source: NASA