Webb Telescope Reveals First Clues on Potentially Habitable World

Webb Telescope Reveals First Clues on Potentially Habitable World
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New insights from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) offer a glimmer of hope for the exoplanet TRAPPIST-1e, an Earth-sized world located 40 light-years away within its star’s habitable zone, SciTechDaily revealed.

Researchers at the University of Bristol, collaborating on an international effort, are working to determine if the planet has an atmosphere, which would be a crucial factor in the potential for liquid water. Using the JWST’s NIRSpec instrument, scientists analyzed starlight passing through the exoplanet’s atmosphere during transit.

Initial results suggest the presence of an atmosphere, though a definitive confirmation has not yet been made. The findings rule out a primordial hydrogen-based atmosphere, which was likely stripped away by the star’s frequent flares. However, there is an equal chance of a heavier, secondary atmosphere existing, which could create a greenhouse effect and keep the planet warm enough to support liquid water.

Because TRAPPIST-1e is tidally locked to its star, any liquid water could either form a global ocean or be confined to a smaller region on the planet’s sun-facing side. Further observations are planned to compare data from TRAPPIST-1e with another exoplanet in the same system, TRAPPIST-1b, to gain more insight into this fascinating world.