Three New Exoplanets Close to Home

NASA's TESS satellite discovered a new planetary system, TOI-270, around a red dwarf star 73 light years away. The system includes three planets, a super-earth and two sub-Neptunes, which are not found in our solar system. TESS uses the transit method to find exoplanets, similar to Kepler but with a different approach. The TOI-270 system is stable and offers potential for further study, especially with the upcoming James Webb Space Telescope. Future observations may reveal more planets and provide insights into their atmospheres and habitability.

What method does the TESS satellite use to discover exoplanets?

• Radial velocity

• Transit method

• Gravitational lensing

• Direct imaging

Which type of star is TOI-270 classified as?

• M-dwarf star

• Red giant

• Giant star

• White dwarf

What is the size comparison of TOI-270 B to Earth?

• 3 times the radius of Earth

• 2 times the radius of Earth

• 1.2 times the radius of Earth

• 0.8 times the radius of Earth

What is the significance of the resonance between the planets in the TOI-270 system?

• It causes the planets to collide

• It stabilizes the system and helps measure planetary masses

• It makes the planets habitable

• It increases the brightness of the star

What future telescope is expected to provide more insights into the TOI-270 system?

• James Webb Space Telescope

• Hubble Space Telescope

• Spitzer Space Telescope

• Chandra X-ray Observatory