This scorching 'super-Earth' exoplanet is one of the most massive ever discovered - Space.com

As astronomers add to their known population of distant planets — called exoplanets — they expand their understanding of how Earth's rocky relatives appear around other stars.

The discovery, called TOI-1075 b, was spotted in observations from NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) spacecraft.

Data from this four-year-old mission revealed that TOI-1075 b has a superheated surface of about 1,922 degrees Fahrenheit (1,050 Celsius).

But in addition to the planet's scorching climate and ultra-short orbit — which takes just 14.5 hours — it's fascinating for another big reason: TOI-1075 b is one of the most massive of its exoplanet class. .

"New data shows that TOI-1075 b is one of the most massive super-Earths discovered so far," NASA officials wrote in a Nov.

Researchers often label exoplanets with descriptors that compare these distant worlds to the planets closer to home.

If TOI-1075 b were closer to Earth, however, and humans could visit, they'd notice that their weight on this planet's surface would triple because TOI-1075 b is nearly 10 times more massive than Earth. .

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To detect faraway celestial bodies like TOI-1075 b, the spacecraft scans the night sky for signs of brightness changes.

This technique allowed the mission to observe its 5,000th exoplanet candidate, a special milestone that TESS celebrated earlier this year. .