NASA's Webb Will Seek Atmospheres around Potentially Habitable Exoplanets
Release date: February 5, 2020
Larger, gas giant exoplanets will also fall under Webb's gaze
The TRAPPIST-1 system of exoplanets holds exciting possibilities in the search for potentially habitable worlds. In this system an ultra-cool star is orbited by seven rocky, Earth-sized worlds, three of which are in the "Goldilocks" zone where liquid water might exist on their surfaces. However, to have liquid water they would also need a protective atmosphere.
NASA's James Webb Space Telescope will observe those worlds to determine whether any of them have an atmosphere. Either way, the answer will help us determine how hard (or easy) it is for similar planets to hold onto their atmospheres under a barrage of stellar winds and radiation.
Find additional articles, images, and videos at WebbTelescope.org.
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