Using NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), an international team of astronomers has identified a novel exoplanet orbiting a distant star. TESS, launched in April 2018, is on an extended mission to uncover exoplanets around nearby, luminous stars. The satellite employs the transit method, observing periodic brightness dips as planets pass in front of stars, revealing their size, orbit, and potential habitability. TESS’s discoveries range from small rocky planets to massive gas giants, showcasing the diversity of planets within our galaxy. The mission has expanded our understanding of exoplanets and their potential suitability for life.
Facts/Terms for UPSC Prelims
- Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS): A NASA mission launched in 2018 to discover exoplanets around bright, nearby stars using the transit method.
- Transit Method: A technique used by TESS to detect exoplanets by monitoring periodic reductions in a star’s brightness when planets pass in front of it.
- Habitable Zone: A region around a star where conditions may support liquid water on the surface of an Earth-like planet, potentially conducive to life.
- Exoplanet: A planet located outside our solar system, orbiting a star other than the Sun.
- Extended Mission: TESS’s continued operation after its primary mission, allowing for further exoplanet discoveries and scientific research.