Super-Earth suitable for life discovered 100 light years away

An international team of scientists recently announced the discovery of two new super-Earths using NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) and the University of Liège's Search for Habitable Planets Orbiting Ultracool Stars (SPECULOOS).

These two new super-Earths are 100 light years away from our planet. One of them, in particular, could be suitable for life.

Super-Earths are a group of exoplanets in the Solar System that are made of rock and gas. They can reach a size 10 times the mass of Earth, with rocky surfaces and thin atmospheres.

Both planets orbit a relatively low-energy red dwarf star called LP 890-9.

The first planet, named LP 890-9b or TOI-4306b, has a radius of 8,368 km, 30% larger than Earth. This planet orbits its host star in just 2.7 days. NASA satellites took pictures and confirmed this as an exoplanet using SPECULOOS

The second planet, called LP 890-9c, or SPECULOOS-2c, has caught the attention of researchers. It is located slightly farther from its star than the first planet, with a radius of more than 8,690 km, 40% larger than Earth. LP 890-9c takes nearly 10 days to orbit its star and is located in the star's habitable zone.

The host star LP 890-9 is 6.5 times smaller than the Sun but half as cool. So even though LP 890-9c orbits very close to its host star, the amount of radiation it receives is still low, allowing liquid water to exist on its surface if it has an atmosphere. Researchers believe this could be a rocky planet that allows life to exist.

The team will study the planet's atmosphere more closely in the coming months to determine its habitability.

Micah Soto

Update 31 July 2025