Network of Robotic Telescopes Finds New Earth-Sized World Orbiting an Ultra-Cool Star

Astronomers have discovered an Earth-sized planet, SPECULOOS-3 b, orbiting an ultra-cool red dwarf star just 55 light years away. This tidally locked planet, which completes an orbit every 17 hours, was found by the international SPECULOOS project using a network of robotic telescopes.

A new, Earth-sized planet orbiting an ultra-cool red dwarf star, has been detected by an international team of astronomers – just 55 light years away.

The planet is only the second of its kind to be discovered around this type of star. Called SPECULOOS-3 b, it takes around 17 hours to complete an orbit of the star which is more than twice as cold as our sun, as well as ten times less massive and a hundred times less luminous.