Not Like Venus Or Mars, Distant Exoplanet May Have Atmosphere Like Earth's

Early observations from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) indicate that a distant exoplanet may possess an atmosphere resembling Earth's. This planet is among a cluster orbiting a star named TRAPPIST-1, situated approximately 40 light-years from Earth.

Study suggests that TRAPPIST-1 e doesn't have an atmosphere like Venus or Mars (Representational)

The TRAPPIST-1 system, identified in 2016 by a team of five Belgian astronomers who named it after their preferred beer, has been the subject of extensive research since its discovery. According to CNN reporting, several planets within this system potentially offer conditions that could support life.

Nestor Espinoza, an astronomer at Baltimore's Space Telescope Science Institute, characterized the TRAPPIST-1 system as "as alien as it gets." He noted that the central star is remarkably small, comparable to Jupiter in size, and hosts at least seven rocky planets in orbit.

"Three of those are positioned in what scientists term the habitable zone, meaning they maintain sufficient proximity to their star that, if atmospheric conditions exist, they could potentially sustain liquid water," Espinoza explained.

Published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters last week, the research analyzed data collected from four JWST observations conducted in 2023. While these observations haven't definitively confirmed an atmosphere, scientists have scheduled 15 additional observations that might provide more conclusive evidence in the future, according to Espinoza.

The research suggests that TRAPPIST-1 e likely doesn't possess an atmosphere dominated by carbon dioxide like Venus or Mars. Instead, researchers believe its atmosphere might be nitrogen-rich, making it more comparable to Earth's atmosphere or that of Saturn's frozen moon, Titan.

If confirmed, this would represent the first detection of an Earth-like atmosphere on an exoplanet beyond our solar system.

While TRAPPIST-1 e approximates Earth in size, it orbits its star much more rapidly than Earth circles the sun. "If you could hypothetically relocate the TRAPPIST-1 star to our solar system, all its planets and their orbital paths would fit within Mercury's orbit," Espinoza stated.

Sara Seager, planetary science professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and co-author of both studies, remarked, "The evidence pointing away from Venus- and Mars-like atmospheres sharpens our focus on the scenarios still in play."

Espinoza added that even if TRAPPIST-1 e is determined to lack an atmosphere, such a finding would remain significant as it establishes groundwork for future exoplanetary research.