A Fascinating New Planet on the Horizon

Astronomers have made an exciting discovery in the search for exoplanets: the newly identified TOI-3493 b, a sub-Neptune-sized planet, is now confirmed to orbit the bright G0 star HD 119355, also known as TIC 203377303. This intriguing world was first spotted by NASA's TESS space mission.

Doppler Measurements Unveil the Truth

To ensure the authenticity of TESS's transit signal, researchers embarked on an intensive Doppler campaign utilizing the HARPS spectrograph. The rigorous radial velocity measurements collected during this study were crucial in confirming the planet's nature.

Unveiling TOI-3493 b's Characteristics

The study revealed that TOI-3493 b orbits its star in a nearly circular path, boasting a mass of about 9.0 ± 1.2 times that of Earth and a radius measuring 3.22 ± 0.08 times Earth's. Fascinatingly, this leads to a bulk density of 1.47+0.23−0.22 g/cm³, suggesting its composition likely includes a small solid core wrapped in a thick envelope of hydrogen and helium.

What This Means for Future Research

This discovery not only adds to our understanding of planetary systems but also raises questions about the formation of sub-Neptune planets. The finding of TOI-3493 b encourages further exploration and research into similar exoplanets, deepening our insight into the universe's diverse planetary offerings.