Is THIS where aliens are hiding? Scientists discover a ‘super-Earth’ planet 35 light-years away – and it might have the right conditions to support life

It’s one of the biggest unanswered questions in science. 

Are there aliens out there, and if so, where are they hiding? 

Now, researchers may have taken a huge step towards answering this question. 

Using NASA’s TESS space telescope, a team from Trottier Institute for Research on Exoplanets has detected a ‘super–Earth’ 35 light–years away that might be habitable. 

The planet, called L 98–59 f, is one of five worlds found orbiting a red dwarf star called L 98–59.  

However, it is the only one with the right conditions to support life.

‘Finding a temperate planet in such a compact system makes this discovery particularly exciting,’ said Charles Cadieux, lead author of the study. 

‘It highlights the remarkable diversity of exoplanetary systems and strengthens the case for studying potentially habitable worlds around low–mass stars.’ 

Using NASA’s TESS space telescope, a team from Trottier Institue for Research on Exoplanets has detected a ‘super–Earth’ 35 light–years away that might be habitable

The planet, called L 98–59 f, is one of five worlds found orbiting a red dwarf star called L 98–59

L 98–59 was first discovered in 2019, and was originally confirmed to have just four planets around it. 

However, by carefully reanalysing data collected from ground–based and space–based telescopes, the team was able to identify a fifth planet. 

This planet does not transit its host star – meaning it doesn’t pass directly between us and the star. 

However, its presence was confirmed through subtle variations in the star’s motion. 

The scientists believe the planet receives about the same amount of stellar energy as Earth does from the sun. 

Excitingly, this places it ‘firmly’ within the habitable zone – a region where water could remain in liquid form.   

The new study also sheds light on the four other planets orbiting the star. 

The innermost planet, L 98–59 b, is about 84 per cent the size of Earth, and about half its mass. 

The innermost planet (artist’s impression), L 98–59 b, is about 84 per cent the size of Earth, and about half its mass

Meanwhile, the two inner planets are believed to be similar to Jupiter’s moon, Io, with extreme volcanic activity. 

Finally, the fourth planet may be a ‘water world’, the experts say. 

‘With its diversity of rocky worlds and range of planetary compositions, L 98–59 offers a unique laboratory to address some of the field’s most pressing questions: What are super–Earths and sub–Neptunes made of?’ asked René Doyon, co–author of the study. 

‘Do planets form differently around small stars? Can rocky planets around red dwarfs retain atmospheres over time?’

Having found the fifth planet and learned more about the other four, the team now hopes to use James Webb – NASA’s most powerful telescope – to study the star system in more detail. 

‘With these new results, L 98–59 joins the select group of nearby, compact planetary systems that we hope to understand in greater detail over the coming years,’ said Alexandrine L’Heureux, co–author of the study. 

‘It’s exciting to see it stand alongside systems like TRAPPIST–1 in our quest to unlock the nature and formation of small planets orbiting red dwarf stars.’

PLANETARY SYSTEM L 98-59

The planetary system and its star – which are only around 35 light years away – are both called L 98-59.  

The planets in this system are the following, from closest to the star to further away:

– L 98-59b: This rocky planet has half the mass of Venus (4.868×1024 kg). It’s likely dry, but might have small amounts of water. It’s smaller than the Earth but still bigger than Mars.

– L 98-59c: Likely dry, but might have small amounts of water

– L 98-59d: About 30 per cent of the mass of this planet could be water (but note that this would not be liquid water at the planet’s surface)

– L 98-59e: Has a ‘year’ of 12.8 days and is at least three times more massive than the Earth (a ‘super-Earth’). Its temperature is thought to be only a few ten degrees warmer than that of the Earth. 

– L 98-59f: In the habitable zone of the star, meaning liquid water may exist at the surface of this planet

L 98-59b is smaller than Earth but larger than Mars. NASA has previously described L 98-59b as the ‘tiniest exoplanet’. Meanwhile, L 98-59c and L 98-59d are larger than both Earth and Mars

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