NASA's Webb Telescope measures temperature of exoplanet that possibly lacks atmosphere

A team of space researchers from around the world came together to evaluate the temperature of a rocky exoplanet floating in the universe with the help of NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope. According to NASA's official website, the temperature of the exoplanet TRAPPIST-1 b was measured by analysing its thermal emission, which is the heat energy that it emits.

The energy is released in the form of infrared light, which is detectable by the telescope's state-of-the-art Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI). It was found that the dayside of the planet has a temperature of about 500 kelvins (roughly 450 degrees Fahrenheit). Researchers were also able to understand that the exoplanet lacks a major atmosphere.

The findings are significant, as it is the first-ever detection of any kind of light emitted by an exoplanet that is as tiny and cold as the rocky planets of our solar system. The study paves the way for understanding whether planets orbiting small active stars like TRAPPIST-1 can have atmospheres that are crucial for sustaining life.

Space researchers elucidate the findings

“These observations really take advantage of Webb’s mid-infrared capability. No previous telescopes have had the sensitivity to measure such dim mid-infrared light,” said Thomas Greene, an astrophysicist at NASA’s Ames Research Center and the lead author of the study published in the Nature journal. 

TRAPPIST-1 b: We give it a one (M-dwarf) star review; it lacks atmosphere. ⭐

Webb found the dayside temperature of this rocky exoplanet to be about 450º F (227º C) — suggesting it has no significant atmosphere: https://t.co/TGYqguDgT4

Here’s why this is a big deal ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/7kW8nKxC4U

— NASA Webb Telescope (@NASAWebb)

The study was conducted as part of Webb's Guaranteed Time Observation (GTO) programme 1177, one of the eight projects from Webb’s first year of science that were created in order to characterise the TRAPPIST-1 system. Researchers now look forward to observing how the temperature changes from the day to the nightside to verify if the planet has an atmosphere.

“There was one target that I dreamed of having. And it was this one. This is the first time we can detect the emission from a rocky, temperate planet. It’s a really important step in the story of discovering exoplanets," said Pierre-Olivier Lagage, the co-author of the study and the man who worked on the development of the MIRI for over 20 years.