The Irradiated Basaltic Crust of Rocky Super-Earth LTT 1445 Ab
Located approximately 22 light-years from the Solar System in the constellation Eridanus , LTT 1445 Ab represents a benchmark in the study of terrestrial exoplanets . Discovered by the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) in 2019, this world is a confirmed rocky Super-Earth orbiting a red dwarf star . Its significance lies not only in its proximity to our own system but in its unique position within a triple-star system . While many exoplanets reside in solitary stellar environments, LTT 1445 Ab is subject to the complex gravitational and radiative influences of three distinct stellar bodies, though it directly orbits the primary star, LTT 1445 A. As a transiting planet, LTT 1445 Ab passes directly between its host star and the observer, allowing for precise measurements of its radius. When combined with radial velocity data , which measures the gravitational tug the planet exerts on its star, astronomers have determined its mass. These two variables—mass and radius—...