NASA Webb Explores Potentially Habitable Earth-Sized Exoplanet TRAPPIST-1e

Quick Summary

• NASA’s James Webb Space telescope is actively observing teh exoplanet TRAPPIST-1 e,located 40 light-years away.
• Early findings suggest that TRAPPIST-1 e may not have its primary hydrogen-helium atmosphere, but the presence of a secondary atmosphere is still uncertain.
• The planet orbits within the habitable zone of its red dwarf star, where liquid water could theoretically exist if an atmosphere is present.
• Researchers are using Webb’s NIRSpec instrument to identify chemical compositions in starlight passing through the planet’s potential atmosphere during transits.
• The research team has conducted four observations so far and plans 15 additional ones, incorporating comparisons between transits of nearby planets for added reliability in analyzing atmospheric signals.
• Findings indicate a low likelihood that TRAPPIST-1 e’s atmosphere is dominated by carbon dioxide, akin to Venus or Mars; however, no direct parallels with our solar system can be drawn due to fundamental differences between stars and planetary systems.
• if liquid water exists on TRAPPIST-1 e, it might form as a global ocean or localized phenomena due to tidal locking between one perpetually lit side facing its star and one permanently dark side.

Images included:

1. An artist’s depiction showcasing the volatile red dwarf star TRAPPIST-1 and four orbiting planets: !Image
2. Infographic comparing transmission spectrum data collected by Webb with atmospheric models for TRAPPIST-1 e: !Image

For more details: