Thanks to the innovative Space Telescope James Webbscientists have made a giant step in space research: for the first time the atmosphere of a super Earth, a rocky planet located about 41 light years from our Solar System. This planet, called Janssen or more formally 55 Cancri e, may have a dense and volatile atmosphere, a crucial clue that helps us better understand the composition and climate conditions of other worlds.
Janssen it was discovered in 2004 and has become one of the most studied celestial bodies since then. Its mass is about nine times that of the Earth and orbits a red dwarf star, Copernicus (55 Cancri A). The fact that it is so close to its parent star means that temperatures on its surface can reach 2,300 degrees Celsiusmaking it an extreme and inhospitable environment.
The discovery of its atmosphere is particularly significant because, despite the extreme conditions, the presence of gases such as carbon dioxide or carbon monoxide carbon can offer crucial clues about training and the evolution of exoplanets. Furthermoreno signs of a primordial atmosphere composed mainly of hydrogen and helium have been found, which suggests interesting scenarios about its formation.
The instruments NIRCam and MIRI del James Webb Telescope they played a key role, allowing scientists to measure the planet’s thermal emissions and thus infer the composition of the atmosphere. This data is essential to understanding how planets shape up they form and they evolve in star systems different from ours.
This discovery of the atmosphere opens new avenues for future research
Potentially helping scientists to to locate planets similar to Earth which could host forms of life or, at least, conditions more favorable to life as we know it.
Are you curious to know how this discovery will affect the search for life extraterrestrial? Do you think the James Webb Space Telescope might one day discover a habitable planet? Share your reflections in the comments!
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