Posted May 12, 2023 at 9:28 p.m.
A bizarre planet has finally been demystified. Explanations.
Ten years of effort
For ten years, scientists have been trying to demystify an exoplanet 40 light-years from Earth. With the help of the Hubble telescope, some data were collected, in particular on the orbit and the size of the object. Some researchers consider it a super-Earth, others a mini-Neptune. The planet orbits a red dwarf star in just 40 days.
James Webb
Recent observations with the James Webb Telescope have allowed researchers to learn more about GJ-1214 b. The exoplanet’s atmosphere would consist of heavy molecules such as water or methane. It would be too hot for liquid water to rise to the surface. So it would be water vapor that would be found in the atmosphere. In addition, its albedo would be very high on the day side as it always presents the same face to its star. It is therefore in synchronous orbit. GJ1214 b is obviously inhospitable to life, but the properties of its atmosphere make it interesting for scientists.
work to do
Scientists hope to learn more about these types of planets, which are plentiful in our galaxy. The so-called Super-Earth is a telluric exoplanet with a mass between five and ten times that of Earth.
Source: nature