K2-288Bb

K2-288Bb is a confirmed exoplanet orbiting within the K2-288 system, located approximately 226 light-years away in the constellation Taurus. It was discovered by citizen scientists analyzing data from NASA's Kepler space telescope's K2 mission. The exoplanet is notable for residing within its star's habitable zone, the region around a star where liquid water could potentially exist on the surface of a planet, making it a promising candidate for further study regarding its potential for habitability.

K2-288Bb is estimated to be about twice the size of Earth, placing it in the category of a super-Earth or a mini-Neptune. Its radius is estimated to be approximately 1.9 times that of Earth. Due to its size, it is likely a gas-rich planet, although its precise composition remains uncertain. Further observations are needed to determine its atmospheric properties and whether it truly possesses the necessary conditions to support life as we know it.

The K2-288 system is a binary star system. K2-288Bb orbits the smaller, dimmer star in the system, which is an M-dwarf. The two stars are relatively far apart, separated by about 5.6 billion miles, roughly six times the distance between Saturn and the Sun. The brightness dips observed by Kepler, indicating a possible transit, were initially difficult to discern due to the complex light curves of the binary system, highlighting the significance of the citizen science contribution to its discovery.