Home / Science / Webb Telescope Examines Exoplanet TRAPPIST-1 e for Possible Atmosphere
Webb Telescope Examines Exoplanet TRAPPIST-1 e for Possible Atmosphere
9 Sep
Summary
- NASA's James Webb Space Telescope observing TRAPPIST-1 e exoplanet
- Exoplanet may contain water, but atmosphere still needs to be determined
- Researchers feel confident planet has lost its primary atmosphere
As of September 9th, 2025, NASA's James Webb Space Telescope is closely observing the exoplanet TRAPPIST-1 e, which may contain water, to determine if it has an atmosphere. The TRAPPIST-1 system, discovered in 2017, consists of seven Earth-sized worlds orbiting a red dwarf star, with planet e being the only one theoretically capable of supporting liquid water on its surface.
To study the planet's atmosphere, NASA scientists have directed the Webb telescope's instruments at TRAPPIST-1 e as it passes in front of its host star. If the planet has an atmosphere, the starlight passing through it will be partially absorbed, creating dips in the light spectrum that can be analyzed. Researchers have also studied the light spectrum of another planet in the system, TRAPPIST-1 b, which has been determined to have no atmosphere, to provide a more complete picture.
While the researchers feel confident that TRAPPIST-1 e has lost its primary atmosphere of hydrogen and helium, they are investigating the possibility of the planet having built up a "heavier secondary atmosphere." Further research with the Webb telescope will help determine the composition and characteristics of any atmosphere present on the exoplanet.
