Archive · 14 Aug 2025
James Webb Space Telescope Rules Out Earth-Like Atmosphere on Distant Planet
The James Webb Space Telescope, a giant space telescope, looked at a planet called TRAPPIST-1 d to see if it had an atmosphere like Earth's.
Scientists were hoping to find gases that are in Earth's atmosphere such as water vapor, methane or carbon dioxide but did not find them.
This means that TRAPPIST-1 d might not be a good place for life.
Scientists are still looking at other planets in the same system to see if they have atmospheres, which is important for finding out which planets could potentially support life.
James Webb Space Telescope found no Earth-like atmosphere on TRAPPIST-1 d.
Researchers did not detect water vapor, methane, or carbon dioxide.
TRAPPIST-1 d is a rocky planet in a seven-world system 40 light-years away.
The planet orbits a cool red dwarf star and completes an orbit every four Earth days.
Webb is observing other TRAPPIST-1 planets to assess their atmospheres.
- Who
- Researchers using the James Webb Space Telescope.
- What
- The James Webb Space Telescope detected no Earth-like atmosphere on TRAPPIST-1 d.
- When
- A study was published Tuesday.
- Where
- On the exoplanet TRAPPIST-1 d, 40 light-years away.
- Why
- To determine if the planet has an atmosphere that could support life and understand which planets retain their atmospheres.
- Telescope
- James Webb Space Telescope
- Planet
- TRAPPIST-1 d
- Distance
- 40 light-years
- Star type
- Cool red dwarf
- Orbital Period
- 4 Earth days