Astronomers find an Earth-sized exoplanet around a tiny star and a large, but ultra-light exoplanet around a Sun-like star
## Two New Exoplanets Discovered: One Rocky and One Puffy
Astronomers have discovered two new exoplanets, one rocky and one puffy, adding to the growing list of worlds beyond our solar system.
The first, SPECULOOS-3b, is an Earth-sized planet orbiting a tiny, ultracool dwarf star about 55 light-years away. This exoplanet likely has a rocky surface and no atmosphere, according to the SPECULOOS project team. They believe it’s a great target for future studies by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) to study its surface and geological history.
The second exoplanet, WASP-193b, is a giant, but ultra-light exoplanet orbiting a Sun-like star about 1,200 light-years away. It’s about 1.5 times the size of Jupiter but has a mass only about one-seventh that of Jupiter. This makes it an extreme example of a class of large and light exoplanets called puffy Jupiters. Astronomers are still trying to understand how these planets form and why they are so light.
Both of these discoveries are exciting for astronomers because they provide new insights into the diversity of exoplanets. SPECULOOS-3b is the first Earth-sized exoplanet found around an ultracool dwarf star, and WASP-193b is one of the least dense planets ever discovered. These discoveries show that there are many different types of exoplanets out there, and we are only just beginning to understand them.
Here are some key details about the two exoplanets:
**SPECULOOS-3b:**
* **Size:** Earth-sized
* **Mass:** Unknown
* **Orbit:** 17 hours
* **Star:** Ultracool dwarf star
* **Distance:** 55 light-years
**WASP-193b:**
* **Size:** 1.5 times the size of Jupiter
* **Mass:** 14% the mass of Jupiter
* **Orbit:** 6.25 days
* **Star:** Sun-like star
* **Distance:** 1,200 light-years
These discoveries are just the latest in a long line of exoplanet discoveries. As our telescopes become more powerful, we are sure to find even more exoplanets in the years to come.
