Science, Space and Technology News 2024
Using NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, scientists may have identified atmospheric gases on 55 Cancri e, a super-hot, rocky exoplanet. This discovery could represent the most definitive evidence of an atmosphere on any rocky planet outside our solar system. Credit: SciTechDaily.com
Researchers think they may have finally caught a glimpse of a volatile-rich atmosphere surrounding a rocky planet. Light emitted by the hot, highly-irradiated55 Cancri e shows compelling evidence for an atmosphere, probably rich in carbon dioxide or carbon monoxide, which may be bubbling from a vast ocean of lava covering the planet’s surface.This artist’s concept shows what the exoplanet 55 Cancri e could look like.
When the planet is next to the star, the mid-infrared light emitted by both the star and the dayside of the planet reaches the telescope, and the system appears brighter. When the planet is behind the star, the light emitted by the planet is blocked and only the starlight reaches the telescope, causing the apparent brightness to decrease.
By subtracting the brightness during the secondary eclipse , when the planet is behind the star , from the brightness when the planet is right beside the star , the team was able to calculate the amount of various wavelengths of infrared light coming from the dayside of the planet.A thermal emission spectrum captured by Webb’s NIRCam in November 2022, and MIRI in March 2023, shows the brightness of different wavelengths of infrared light emitted by the super-Earth exoplanet 55 Cancri e.
Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, Joseph Olmsted , Renyu Hu , Aaron Bello-Arufe , Michael Zhang , Mantas Zilinskas The first indication that 55 Cancri e could have a substantial atmosphere came from temperature measurements based on its thermal emission , or heat energy given off in the form of infrared light.
“We’ve spent the last ten years modeling different scenarios, trying to imagine what this world might look like,” said co-author Yamila Miguel from the Leiden Observatory and the Netherlands Institute for Space Research . “Finally getting some confirmation of our work is priceless!”The team thinks that the gases blanketing 55 Cancri e would be bubbling out from the interior, rather than being present ever since the planet formed.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Who Is Yamoshi? Dragon Ball's First And Most Mysterious Saiyan ExplainedDragon Ball Z/Super: Super Saiyan Goku in front of the Legendary Super Saiyan God.
Read more »
Celebrating Earth Day: The first satellite images of the earth were taken 64 years agoTIROS 1 was the first weather satellite, launched in 1960
Read more »
Why on Earth do we celebrate Earth Day?Earth day is coming up on Monday but do you know what Earth Day actually is. Or why we celebrate?
Read more »
Emily in Paris will also be Emily in Rome in season fourSurprise, surprise: the season will be split into two parts, premiering August 15 and September 12
Read more »
Scientists discover thick atmosphere enveloping rocky so-called 'super Earth' planetResearchers have discovered a thick atmosphere enveloping a planet called 55 Cancri e, which is twice the size of Earth and located in a nearby solar system.
Read more »
Substantial Atmosphere Detected on a Rocky Super-Earth For The First TimeThe Best in Science News and Amazing Breakthroughs
Read more »