NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has revealed new information about the atmosphere of an exoplanet 8.6 times as massive as Earth and orbiting a red dwarf star some 120 light years away.
The telescope revealed the presence of carbon-bearing molecules, including methane and carbon dioxide. Webb’s discovery suggests that the planet may possess a hydrogen-rich atmosphere and a water-ocean-covered surface. Researchers say their findings are consistent with the presence of a molecule that on Earth is only produced by life forms.
This artist’s concept shows what exoplanet K2-18 b could look like based on scientific data. K2-18 b, an exoplanet 8.6 times as massive as Earth, orbits the cool dwarf star K2-18 in the habitable zone and lies 120 light-years from Earth. A new investigation with NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope into K2-18 b has revealed the presence of carbon-bearing molecules, including methane and carbon dioxide. The abundance of methane and carbon dioxide and shortage of ammonia support the hypothesis that there may be a water ocean underneath a hydrogen-rich atmosphere in K2-18 b.
