this James Webb Space Telescope About to start Large-scale study of the rock world Outside the solar system, specifically to discover whether planets orbiting close to small, cold stars might have air.
Scientists plan to start with LTT 1445 Ac and GJ 3929 b, although these exoplanet Might not be household names, but they’re tantalizing subjects relatively close to Earth space. Each was discovered two years ago NASAThe Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite measures thousands of stars simultaneously.
LTT 1445 Communication It is about the size of Earth and about 22 light-years away in the constellation Eridanus. The planet orbits the star LTT 1445 A, which is part of a trio of red dwarfs. GJ 3929B Slightly larger and heavier than the Earth, it is located in the constellation Corona Borealis about 52 light-years away from the Earth.
These two worlds are just preliminary goals One campaign will take a closer look at a dozen nearby planets over the next two years. The program, first reported by Mashable, will budget around 500 hours for observation Webb telescopeas well as approximately 250 ultraviolet orbital observations using the Hubble Space Telescope to help characterize the activity of the host star.
Mix and match speed of light
Scientists have yet to discover a rocky exoplanet with air. But now they have a plan.
In addition to Webb, the new survey will include Hubble Space Telescope observations of about 250 ultraviolet orbits.
Photo credit: Adrian Mann / Stocktrek Images / Getty Images Illustration
Jennifer Lotz directs Webb and Hubble operations at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, initiate The investigation took advantage of the director’s discretionary time, much like revolutionary scientific movements Hubble Deep Field Image It finally happened.
Most astronomers agree Detect the atmosphere Crucial to the search for a habitable world. NASA jokingly calls Earth’s own atmosphere a “security blanket”: without it, the types of life that thrive here wouldn’t exist. This cocoon can hold oxygen in the air and filter out harmful UV radiation from the sun while keeping our world warm. Additionally, it creates pressure that causes liquid water to accumulate on the surface.
Artist’s impression of LTT 1445 Ac, an exoplanet about 22 light-years from Earth in a triple red dwarf star system.
Image credit: NASA / ESA / Illustration by Leah Hustak
Red dwarfs, sometimes called M-type stars, are the most common stars in the Milky Way, but no one knows if there are planets orbiting them can maintain the atmosphere” said astronomer Néstor Espinoza, who is responsible for the implementation of the project.
There is one key difference between the first two survey targets and Earth: both are so close to their stars that their years are only about three Earth days long. This might not be a problem since their hosting stars aren’t as hot as they are. sunbut can the atmosphere withstand this sustained onslaught of stellar radiation?
“This is one of those high-risk, high-reward projects,” Espinoza told Mashable. “Imagine that for all the targets we detect atmospheres. And then you answer the question, ‘Yes, atmospheres are very common around these stars. That means life could arise.’ On the other hand, if you find that they all Without an atmosphere, that would be very sad, but also very interesting, and it means that our planetary system is actually very, very special.
