description L 98-59 Overview
L 98-59 is an M-type red dwarf star located approximately 35 light-years away in the southern constellation of Volans. It is known to host a multi-planetary system, with initial observations by NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) in 2019 identifying three small, rocky exoplanets. Subsequent studies using the Hubble and James Webb space telescopes have provided deeper analysis of these planets' atmospheres. This system is of significant interest to astronomers because it offers a nearby laboratory for studying the atmospheric properties of terrestrial worlds.
help L 98-59 FAQ
How many small planets did TESS originally find around L 98-59?
NASA's TESS mission initially identified three transiting planets, L 98-59 b, c and d, in 2019. All three circle their red-dwarf host in less than about eight days.
Why was L 98-59 b a record-setting TESS discovery?
At roughly 0.8 times Earth's radius, L 98-59 b was the smallest planet TESS had discovered when NASA announced it in 2019. It is slightly smaller than Earth but larger than Mars.
Could any planet in the L 98-59 system support life?
The three original transiting worlds orbit too close to the star to be straightforward Earth analogues, and L 98-59 d is now studied as a potentially volcanic or atmosphere-rich world. Evidence for farther planets has made the system more complex, but a habitable-zone orbit alone would not prove habitability.
Why is L 98-59 useful for the James Webb Space Telescope?
The system is only about 35 light-years away, and several of its small planets transit a relatively bright red dwarf. Those transits allow JWST instruments to search for atmospheric signatures, with L 98-59 d receiving particular attention.
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