A team of scientists has made a groundbreaking discovery, detecting signs of an atmosphere on a ‘super-Earth’ planet 49 light-years from our solar system. The planet, called LHS 1140b, is about five times the mass of Earth and orbits its star in the ‘Goldilocks zone’, where the surface temperature is not too hot or too cold for liquid water to exist.

The Discovery

According to Collin Cherubim, a planetary scientist and lead author of the study, the planet is likely to be a rocky world with an iron core and a silicate mantle, similar to Earth. The discovery was made using the Magellan Clay telescope at Las Campanas Observatory in Chile, which detected helium escaping from the planet’s atmosphere.

The presence of an atmosphere on a rocky planet in the habitable zone of another star is a significant finding, as it increases the possibility of finding life beyond our solar system. While there is currently no evidence of life on LHS 1140b, the discovery provides a promising lead for future research.

Implications

The discovery of an atmosphere on LHS 1140b has significant implications for the search for life beyond our solar system. The planet’s host star is a red dwarf, which is the most common type of star in the universe. However, red dwarfs are also more active than other stars, emitting X-rays and ultraviolet radiation that can destroy atmospheres.

Despite the challenges, the discovery of an atmosphere on LHS 1140b provides a promising lead for future research. The planet will be studied further using the James Webb Space Telescope and other instruments, which will help scientists to better understand the planet’s atmosphere and its potential for supporting life.

Original reporting: El Paso News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.