Most planets discovered outside the solar system They are mainly composed of gasesLacks a solid surface like Jupiter or Saturn.
On the other hand, rocky planets, smaller in size, Detection is fundamentally challenging Because of its small size.
55 Cangiri E is one of the few Earth-like planets with an atmosphere discovered.
However, this is a first for astronomers They were able to detect the atmosphere on a distant world, In a framework of possibilities where life is absolutely nil. Planet discovered 41 light years away It looks like Earth, but orbits much closer to its star.
Unexpected astronomical discovery: What is this planet “similar” to Earth?
According to the science magazine Wired, An atmosphere exists when a planet has a layer of gases surrounding it. As on Earth, the thick cover is mainly formed Nitrogen, oxygen, steam, carbon dioxide and other gases.
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Thanks for this mix, Living things can breatheSurface temperature is controlled and so is climate, but it is necessary to distinguish it The term atmosphere is not synonymous with life.
Other planets in the solar system They also have atmospheres, But they are sterile like Mars and Venus. But to astrophysicists, the layer of gases surrounding a rocky body It is a basic indicator of survival.
55 Cancri E has undergone several analyzes of its surface and atmosphere.
“Super Earth” is located at 55 Cangiri E, Cancer.It is twice the diameter of the Earth and 8.8 times larger, but with its proximity to the Sun of its system The surface is covered by a volcanic ocean At a temperature of 1,700°C.
The James Webb Infrared Space Telescope was able to confirm earlier suspicions About the existence of the atmosphere Observes changes in the star's light as the planet passes in front of it.
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Atmosphere Discovered in 55 Cancri E: Discovered by telescope on this super-Earth
Not detectable by powerful astronomical telescopes The spectral signature of certain gases, But researchers reporting the discovery in the journal Nature, where they speculate that The atmosphere consists of carbon monoxide or carbon dioxide.
Planets with a surface and atmosphere are usually classified as super-Earths, especially if their size is greater than that of our planet.
This will be because The gases may have been emitted by a sea of molten rock. A discovery that can provide minimal information about the evolution of the Earth and its relative origins, It was covered by magma at least once in its history.
Since its discovery in 2004, 55 Cancri E has been subject to various interpretations as to its nature. Depending on time and technology, it was considered a gaseous body similar to Jupiter. A rock is made up of one-third of its mass by diamonds And even a sea world.
