<> TEXT: Scientists have identified the smallest exoplanet found by NASA’s TESS mission to date.
TEXT: L 98-59b orbits its star every 2.25 days… ON-SCREEN: Size: 0.8 Earth radii, Orbital Period: 2.25 days, Temperature: Around 620 degrees F/330 C
TEXT: and is 80% Earth’s size.
TEXT: TESS also discovered two other planets in the same system. ON-SCREEN: L 98-59c - Size: 1.4 Earth radii, Orbital period: 3.7 days, Temperature: Around 440 degrees F/230 C. L 98-59d: Size: 1.6 Earth radii, Orbital period: 7.5 days, Temperature: Around 260 degrees F/130 C
TEXT: Both are slightly larger than Earth.
TEXT: The three worlds orbit L 98-59, a type of small, cool star called an M dwarf.
TEXT: They orbit so closely, they’re bombarded with up to 22 times the energy we get from the Sun. ON-SCREEN: 22x radiation for L 98-59b, 11x radiation for L 98-59c, and 4x for L 98-59d.
TEXT: None of these worlds lie in the star’s habitable zone, the range of distances where liquid water is possible on the surface.
TEXT: They may have the potential to host Venus-like atmospheres, though.
TEXT: The outermost planet could even be more like Neptune, with a thick atmosphere and small, rocky core. TEXT: The outermost planet could even be more like Neptune, with a thick atmosphere and small, rocky core.
TEXT: With TESS and other satellites, we’ll learn more about the known worlds around L 98-59…
TEXT: …and discover if any other planets call the system home.
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