James Webb Space Telescope observations of a promising exoplanet in the TRAPPIST-1 star system just produced a lot of science, but no evidence for an atmosphere.
Scientists only know about the existence of planets around TRAPPIST-1 because they transit across the star as seen from the solar system. That’s a happy accident, but it also helps in the search for exoplanets. This study used a technique called transmission spectroscopy, using NIRISS to split the star’s light as it passed through the atmosphere of TRAPPIST-1 b. In that light was the fingerprint of the molecules and atoms found within the planet’s atmosphere.
However, what the scientists did find was a bunch of “ghost signals” in the starlight that appeared to come from dark and bright spots on the star itself. This data could be crucial in preventing future studies from jumping to conclusions about detecting a particular molecule in the exoplanet's atmosphere.Perhaps the major difference between TRAPPIST-1 and our solar system is its central star. TRAPPIST-1 is a red dwarf star, which are way more common that sun-like stars.
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.
Unlocking Exoplanetary Secrets: Webb Space Telescope’s Deep Dive Into TRAPPIST-1Researchers using the James Webb Space Telescope shed light on the TRAPPIST-1 solar system, particularly planet TRAPPIST-1 b. The study emphasized the star's substantial influence on exoplanetary observations and the challenges of stellar contamination. In a solar system called TRAPPIST-1, 40 lig
Read more »
'Einstein ring' snapped by James Webb Space Telescope is most distant gravitationally lensed object ever seenThe James Webb Space Telescope has taken a stunning image of a perfectly formed Einstein ring, which is also the most distant gravitationally lensed object ever detected.
Read more »
James Webb Space Telescope spots two 'baby galaxies'An international team of astronomers has recently detected two “baby galaxies” using the Webb.
Read more »
Webb, DART Missions Win AIAA 2023 Premier AwardsThe American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) honored NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope and Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) missions and contractors as three of the 2023 recipients of its most prestigious awards, the AIAA Premier Awards.
Read more »
France Probes LVMH CEO Arnault Over Deal With Russian BusinessmanProsecutors say a preliminary investigation into money laundering has been under way since 2022 into the LVMH chief.
Read more »