We've seen helium baked off a rocky exoplanet's atmosphere
Summary
Scientists observed helium gas escaping from the atmosphere of an exoplanet called LHS 1140b, which orbits a small, dim star about 50 light-years away. This observation helps researchers learn about the planet’s atmosphere and how it might be changing over time.Key Facts
- Most planets start with atmospheres made mostly of hydrogen and helium.
- Over billions of years, hydrogen and helium can be lost to space or changed by chemical reactions.
- The exoplanet LHS 1140b orbits a red dwarf star and is about 5.5 times the mass of Earth and 1.7 times its size.
- LHS 1140b receives less than half the light Earth gets from the Sun and may be warm enough for liquid water.
- Researchers used near-infrared imaging to watch helium escape from LHS 1140b’s atmosphere during its orbit transit.
- Helium was detected around LHS 1140b but not around its closer-in neighbor planet LHS 1140c.
- The star system is at least 3 billion years old, allowing atmospheric changes over a long time.
- Red dwarf stars can emit strong radiation that affects nearby planets’ atmospheres.
Read the Full Article
This is a fact-based summary from The Actual News. Click below to read the complete story directly from the original source.
