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science12h ago
Teen Interning at NASA Discovers Gorgeous New Planet on His Third Day on the Job
- A 17-year-old NASA intern on his third day helped identify a new planet, TOI-1338 b, orbiting two stars.
- TOI-1338 b is a Neptune-like exoplanet about 6.9 times larger than Earth, located 1,317 light-years away.
- TOI-1338 b orbits a dual-star system and was identified by analyzing light variations from starlight.
- NASA used Eleanor to analyze data and confirm the planet's presence.
- TOI-1338 b joins a growing list of circumbinary planets that orbit two stars.
- The discovery sparked internet fascination with NASA imagery and renders of the planet.
- NASA's TESS mission is designed to find Earth-sized planets around nearby stars.
- TOI-1338 b orbits its dual stars roughly every 95 days.
- The discovery adds to NASA's catalog of circumbinary planets and insights into star–planet dynamics.
- The story highlighted the potential of interns to contribute to major astronomical discoveries.
- Media coverage linked the NASA discovery to public engagement and online conversations.
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