File:Astronomers Propose a Novel Method of Finding Atmospheres on Rocky Worlds (51146212924).png

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When NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope launches in 2021, one of its most anticipated contributions to astronomy will be the study of exoplanets—planets orbiting distant stars. Among the most pressing questions in exoplanet science is: Can a small, rocky exoplanet orbiting close to a red dwarf star hold onto an atmosphere?

In a series of four papers in the Astrophysical Journal, a team of astronomers proposes a new method of using Webb to determine whether a rocky exoplanet has an atmosphere. The technique, which involves measuring the planet’s temperature as it passes behind its star and then comes back into view, is significantly faster than more traditional methods of atmospheric detection like transmission spectroscopy.

“We find that Webb could easily infer the presence or absence of an atmosphere around a dozen known rocky exoplanets with less than 10 hours of observing time per planet,” said Jacob Bean of the University of Chicago, a co-author on three of the papers.

Read more: www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2019/astronomers-propose-a-n...

Image: This artist’s impression shows a rocky exoplanet with a wispy, cloudy atmosphere orbiting a red dwarf star. Astronomers have identified a new method that could allow Webb to detect an exoplanet’s atmosphere in just a few hours of observing time.

Credits: L. Hustak and J. Olmsted (STScI)

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Source Astronomers Propose a Novel Method of Finding Atmospheres on Rocky Worlds
Author NASA's James Webb Space Telescope from Greenbelt, MD, USA

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This image was originally posted to Flickr by James Webb Space Telescope at https://flickr.com/photos/50785054@N03/51146212924. It was reviewed on 17 June 2023 by FlickreviewR 2 and was confirmed to be licensed under the terms of the cc-by-2.0.

17 June 2023

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current17:20, 17 June 2023Thumbnail for version as of 17:20, 17 June 2023985 × 738 (1.21 MB)Astromessier (talk | contribs)Transferred from Flickr via #flickr2commons

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