---
title: "Nearby Star System Looks to Be Ideal “Lab” for Exoplanet Studies"
description: "Astronomers believe a newly discovered trio of exoplanets just 73 light-years from Earth could serve as the ideal \"lab\" for future exoplanet research."
date: "2019-07-31"
modified: "2019-07-31"
authors:
  - name: "Kristin Houser"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/kristin"
url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/tess-star-system-ideal-lab-exoplanet"
categories:
  - "Science & Energy"
tags:
  - "Exoplanets"
  - "NASA"
  - "the digest"
  - "transiting exoplanet survey satellite"
---

# Nearby Star System Looks to Be Ideal “Lab” for Exoplanet Studies

![Astronomers believe a newly discovered trio of exoplanets just 73 light-years from Earth could serve as the ideal "lab" for future exoplanet research.](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/tess-star-system-ideal-lab-exoplanet-studies.jpg>)
*\<em\>Image: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center\</em\>*

## Star Lab

Since launching in April 2018, NASA's [Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS)](<https://futurism.com/tess-telescope-exoplanets-launch>) has already discovered [21 new exoplanets](<https://www.space.com/tess-first-year-hunting-alien-planets.html>) — but three of them have astronomers particularly excited.

This trio of exoplanets is orbiting a star just 73 light-years away from Earth, which is essentially our cosmic backyard — and scientists believe the system could serve as the [ideal "lab"](<https://space.mit.edu/tess-discovers-three-new-planets-nearby-including-temperate-sub-neptune/>) for exoplanet research.

## Bright Side

Astronomers named the system [TESS Object of Interest (TOI) 270](<https://arstechnica.com/science/2019/07/tess-mission-finds-nearby-3-planet-system-thats-a-perfect-planet-lab/>), and at its center is an M-dwarf star called UCAC4 191-004642 that's about 40 percent smaller than our Sun.

While M-dwarfs are typically highly active, UCAC4 191-004642 is relatively quiet, giving off a steady brightness that will make it easier for scientists to study the rocky super-Earth and pair of sub-Neptunes orbiting the star.

## Missing Link

Those sub-Neptunes are the perfect size to fill a "missing link" in scientists' understanding of planetary formation, according to a [press release](<https://space.mit.edu/tess-discovers-three-new-planets-nearby-including-temperate-sub-neptune/>), namely whether small Earth-like planets and massive Neptune-like worlds evolve separately from one another.

"TOI-270 is a true Disneyland for exoplanet science, and one of the prime systems TESS was set out to discover," researcher Maximilian Günther said in the [press release](<https://space.mit.edu/tess-discovers-three-new-planets-nearby-including-temperate-sub-neptune/>). "It is an exceptional laboratory for not one, but many reasons — it really ticks all the boxes."

**READ MORE:** [TESS hits the trifecta: Nearby bright star has 3 interesting planets](<https://arstechnica.com/science/2019/07/tess-mission-finds-nearby-3-planet-system-thats-a-perfect-planet-lab/>) \[*Ars Technica*\]

**More on exoplanet discoveries:** *[NASA Just Released an Incredible Map of All Known Exoplanets](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/nasa-incredible-map-4000-exoplanets>)*

### Author social links  
[LinkedIn](<https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristinjhouser>)