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LISTEN: Astronomers just spotted a new ‘Super Earth’ planet that feels a whole lot like home

Astronomers have identified K2-18b as a Super Earth, initially discovered in 2015, which shows promising resemblances to Earth. The planet's composition is uncertain, possibly either rocky with a gaseous atmosphere or a water world with an icy surface. Upcoming observations with the James Webb Space Telescope aim to uncover the atmospheric nature of K2-18b.

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Key takeaways

01

K2-18b is categorized as a Super Earth, discovered in 2015.

02

The planet's composition might be rocky with a gaseous atmosphere or a water planet with ice.

03

The James Webb Space Telescope will help determine the atmospheric details of K2-18b.

Astronomers have discovered a new SUPER EARTH planet that could be the next frontier. K2-18b was originally discovered in 2015 but after further study by astronomers has been categorized as a SUPER EARTH planet. Right now, scientists have narrowed down the planets makeup to being either mostly rocky with a gaseous atmosphere like Earth OR a water planet with thick layers of ice covering its surface. “With the current data, we can’t distinguish between those two possibilities,” says Ryan Cloutie, PhD student at University of Toronto Scarborough. “But with NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope we can probe the atmosphere and see whether it has an extensive atmosphere or it’s a planet covered in water.” It’s sounds like the next Earth is in a galaxy not so far away after all.

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Ryan Cloutie

PhD student

University of Toronto Scarborough

Ryan Cloutie is a PhD student at the University of Toronto Scarborough. He is involved in research to determine the atmospheric composition of exoplanets using advanced telescopes. His work contributes to the understanding of exoplanetary atmospheres and their potential similarities to Earth's.

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