Astronomers thought the exoplanet had a CO2 atmosphere. JWST (luckily) double checked.
That solar system offers a unique chance for astronomers to look at Earth-like planets at different temperatures, getting a glimpse at a spectrum of possibilities for rocky worlds. By determining what molecules surround these worlds, “we may be able to infer whether they could indeed support life,” says University of California, Los Angeles astronomer Judah Van Zandt, who was not involved in the paper.TRAPPIST-1 isn’t like our sun, though.
One of the big questions in astronomy right now is: Can planets around M dwarfs keep their atmospheres, or do the brutal flares of these powerful little stars burn the skies away? If astronomers find that most planets around M dwarfs are bare rocks, maybe sun-like stars are necessary for life after all. So far, there are two strikes against M dwarfs—not only does TRAPPIST-1c lack an atmosphere, but aWe will soon find out whether TRAPPIST-1c’s neighbors follow this pattern—or upend it.
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