Webb Space Telescope looks at the spectrum of the TRAPPIST-1 planets #Space @NASA

Scientists have just published the first JWST spectrum of one of the TRAPPIST-1 planets!

Our findings could have important implications for the planets in the habitable zone.

TRAPPIST-1 is a cool red dwarf star famous for having 7 rocky planets (3 or 4 of which lie in the habitable zone). This star system (40 light years away) is one of the most promising for looking for rocky planet atmospheres.

All 7 of the TRAPPIST-1 planets are being systematically observed by JWST. Many of these observations have already been taken and are being analysed.

TRAPPIST-1b is the closest planet to its star, with a measured dayside temperature around 230 °C.

While this makes the planet too hot to be in the habitable zone, the higher temperature should make any atmosphere larger and hence easier to detect.

See much more in the thread on X (formerly Twitter) and in Astrophysical Journal Letters.

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