The SPECULOOS (Search for Planets Hiding Ultra-Cold Stars) project aims to search for potentially habitable exoplanets around the smallest and coldest stars in our galaxy.
Recently, a team of astronomers from the University of Liege in Belgium discovered a transit signal in the light of the star SPECULOOS-3. Later observations confirmed that the signal originated from an Earth-sized exoplanet.
According to the research, the radius of SPECULOOS-3 b is approximately 0.977 Earth radius and it rotates around its star every 17.28 hours. The planet’s surface temperature is estimated to be approximately 553 K.
Scientists suggest that SPECULOOS-3 b has a rocky structure. The mass of the planet is not yet known, but subsequent observations may lead to its measurement.
The authors of the study emphasize that the high radiation falling on SPECULOOS-3 b, combined with the size of the star, makes it one of the most promising targets for the James Webb Space Telescope.
Source: Ferra
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