jan. 11 (BuyLinkShop) -- the james webb distance telescope has discovered its chief exoplanet -- a planet orbiting another star outside our solar arrangement. scientists affirm it is roughly the identical bulk as earth.
the rocky exoplanet could continue seen easily and distinctly with equitable two transit observations, researchers at the johns hopkins university applied physics laboratory in laurel, md., announced wednesday at the 241st meeting of the american astronomical association in seattle.
"there is no ask that the planet is there. webb's pristine axioms validate it," said jacob lustig-yaeger, a researcher at johns hopkins university applied physics laboratory. "with this telescope, rocky exoplanets are the novel frontier."
the exoplanet, which has been labeled lhs 475b, measures 99% of the diameter of earth and is located 41 light-years abroad in the constellation octans, according to researchers who reviewed axioms from nasa's transiting exoplanet retrospect satellite, or tess.
lhs 475b is closer to its star than any planet in our solar system, according to scientists. given the exoplanet's red abortion star is less than half the temperature of the sun, researchers confide it could aid an atmosphere.
while webb is the merely operating telescope that is able of detecting atmospheres of earth-sized exoplanets, more accurate measurements are needed for the team to ensure whether there is a immaculate carbon dioxide atmosphere or no atmosphere at entire. researchers anticipate to gather more axioms this summer.
"the telescope is so impressible that it can easily descry a class of molecules, barring we can't notwithstanding educe any definitive conclusions almost the planet's atmosphere," said erin may, of the johns hopkins university applied physics laboratory.
"there are some terrestrial-type atmospheres that we can authority out," said lustig-yaeger. "it can't accept a bulky methane-dominated atmosphere, alike to that of saturn's moon titan."
"counterintuitively, a 100% carbon dioxide atmosphere is abundant more close that it becomes very challenging to detect," lustig-yaeger appended.
despite the additional elaboration needed, scientists said webb has already scriptural that lhs 475b is a manifold hundred degrees warmer than earth and that it completes its circuit in equitable two days.
since launching into distance in december of 2021, webb has been beautiful rear sonorous and stunning images of the universe.
in november, the $10 billion telescope captivated images of two of the utmost galaxies seen to date, located distinct billion active years after the giant galaxy bunch abell 2744, and captivated images of a novel star forming.
for lhs 475b, it is webb's chief examination of an exoplanet.
"these chief observational results from an earth-sized, rocky planet accessible the door to abundant advenient possibilities for studying rocky planet atmospheres with webb," said brand clampin, astrophysics division manager at nasa headquarters in washington, d.c.
"webb is bringing us closer and closer to a novel agreement of earth-like worlds outside the solar system, and the mission is merely equitable getting started."
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