02/19/2023
Webb telescope’s 1st observations of TRAPPIST-1
NASA’s new Webb space telescope began observing the nearby and fascinating TRAPPIST-1 exoplanet system last June. And now the initial highly-anticipated first results are in. Astronomer Björn Benneke of the University of Montreal announced them on December 13, 2022, at the Space Telescope Science Institute symposium in Baltimore, Maryland. As Benneke said to the audience of astronomers:
And veteran science journalist Alexandra Witze then reported on Benneke’s announcement in Nature, the next day. The associated science papers have not been published yet, but will be starting in early 2023.
Why the hubbub? The fact is that TRAPPIST-1 is one of the most eagerly anticipated targets for Webb. The system contains no fewer than seven rocky planets, all similar in size to Earth. At least three of the planets are in this star’s habitable zone, where temperatures could allow liquid water to exist. The other planets are also close to the habitable zone. All at only 39 light-years away.
The new Webb findings are preliminary. So they don’t answer the question of whether any of the seven rocky planets – all similar in size to Earth – could support life … yet. But they do show the potential for Webb to study this beguiling nearby system.
TRAPPIST-1AND TRAPPIST-1G
The initial observations focused on two of the planets, TRAPPIST-1b and TRAPPIST-1g. Planet b is the closest to the star and planet g is the second farthest (with TRAPPIST-1h being the farthest).
TRAPPIST-1g is the largest of the planets, with a radius 1.154 times that of Earth. The results, so far, indicate that it is unlikely to have a deep primordial hydrogen atmosphere. Larger gas and ice giants, like Jupiter or Neptune in our own solar system, tend to have such atmospheres. This means that TRAPPIST-1g could have a thinner, more terrestrial-type atmosphere, like that of Earth, Venus or Mars. If so, that would be good for the prospects of possible life, since those are secondary atmospheres, ones that have undergone significant chemical alterations over millions or billions of years. For example, Earth’s primarily nitrogen atmosphere is largely due to life processes changing it over time
TRAPPIST-1: Large mottled planet in foreground with smaller planets in line toward small star.
View larger. | Artist’s concept of the intriguing TRAPPIST-1 exoplanet system, just 39 light-years from Earth. It has 7 Earth-sized rocky planets, at least 3 of which are potentially habitable. NASA’s Webb space telescope has taken its 1st look at these fascinating worlds, and researchers just announced the initial findings. Image via NASA/ JPL-Caltech/ Nature.
Webb telescope’s 1st observations of TRAPPIST-1
NASA’s new Webb space telescope began observing the nearby and fascinating TRAPPIST-1 exoplanet system last June. And now the initial highly-anticipated first results are in. Astronomer Björn Benneke of the University of Montreal announced them on December 13, 2022, at the Space Telescope Science Institute symposium in Baltimore, Maryland. As Benneke said to the audience of astronomers:
We’re in business.
And veteran science journalist Alexandra Witze then reported on Benneke’s announcement in Nature, the next day. The associated science papers have not been published yet, but will be starting in early 2023.
Why the hubbub? The fact is that TRAPPIST-1 is one of the most eagerly anticipated targets for Webb. The system contains no fewer than seven rocky planets, all similar in size to Earth. At least three of the planets are in this star’s habitable zone, where temperatures could allow liquid water to exist. The other planets are also close to the habitable zone. All at only 39 light-years away.
The new Webb findings are preliminary. So they don’t answer the question of whether any of the seven rocky planets – all similar in size to Earth – could support life … yet. But they do show the potential for Webb to study this beguiling nearby system.
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