Scientists Discover Mysterious Planet 154 Light-Years Away Emitting Strange Light Signals

 

A mysterious planet located 154 light-years from Earth has recently been discovered by scientists, who had long been intrigued by unusual light signals emanating from its direction. The signals, appearing intermittently, caught the attention of astronomers and led to the eventual identification of the planet. The discovery was made by a research team led by Abderrahmane Soubkiou at an observatory in Morocco.

The newly found planet has been named TOI-1846b. It is roughly twice the size of Earth and four times as massive. Due to its characteristics, scientists are referring to it as a “super-Earth.” The planet orbits a relatively cool red dwarf star once every four days.

The first signs of TOI-1846b came from NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), which detected recurring light signals originating from its direction. Upon further observation, scientists noticed that the signals followed a consistent pattern—appearing every year during the month of March.

As is common in exoplanet detection, astronomers monitored subtle dips in starlight caused by the planet transiting (passing in front of) its host star. Each time TOI-1846b completed an orbit, it slightly dimmed the star's light, confirming its presence.

NASA plans to further study this intriguing planet using the James Webb Space Telescope, aiming to uncover more about its composition and conditions.

Interestingly, the red dwarf star it orbits is estimated to have a surface temperature of over 300 degrees Celsius. Unlike Earth, TOI-1846b is believed to be tidally locked, meaning one side of the planet always faces the star while the other side remains in permanent darkness. Scientists speculate that the dark side may potentially harbor water—a tantalizing possibility that adds to the mystery surrounding this distant world.