K2-288

K2-288 is a binary star system located approximately 815 light-years away in the constellation Taurus. It gained prominence due to the discovery of a planet candidate, K2-288Bb, orbiting one of the stars in the system.

The system consists of two M-dwarf stars, significantly smaller and cooler than our Sun. The brighter of the two stars, K2-288A, has a mass and radius about half that of the Sun. The fainter star, K2-288B, is considerably smaller and fainter. The stars are separated by a significant distance, roughly the same as the distance between the Sun and Uranus in our solar system.

K2-288Bb is a planet candidate detected through the transit method by NASA's Kepler space telescope during its K2 mission. The planet is estimated to be about twice the size of Earth, placing it in the super-Earth or mini-Neptune category. It orbits K2-288A within the habitable zone, the region around a star where liquid water could potentially exist on the surface of a planet. However, whether K2-288Bb is a rocky planet or a gas-rich world is currently unknown, and further observations are needed to confirm its planetary status and characterize its atmosphere and composition.

The discovery of K2-288Bb is significant because planets orbiting binary stars are less commonly found than those orbiting single stars. Additionally, its potential location in the habitable zone makes it a target for future studies to assess its potential for habitability.