Atmosphere detected on a planet 48 light-years from Earth

A research team led by researcher Collin Cherubim from Harvard University in the US has obtained evidence of an atmosphere on the rocky planet LHS 1140b, located approximately 48 light-years from Earth. Using the Magellan Observatory in Chile for their work, the team determined that helium is escaping from the planet into space. The study, published in the US-based journal "Science," is the first research to clearly demonstrate the existence of an atmosphere on a rocky planet in the habitable zone of another star.

According to the research, the planet orbits a red dwarf star within its habitable zone, where temperature and environmental conditions are favorable for water to exist in liquid form on the planet's surface.

The theoretical model developed by Cherubim and his team predicted that LHS 1140b has a helium-rich upper atmosphere and that this helium is slowly escaping into space. To evaluate this estimate, the team used the Warm Infrared Echelle Spectrograph (WINERED) located at the Magellan Observatory in Chile.

Lead author of the study, Cherubim, stated, "For a planet to support life as we know it, an atmosphere is vital." Cherubim, who recently completed his PhD in Earth and Planetary Sciences at Harvard University, said they want to determine the full composition of the planet's atmosphere and investigate in the future whether there are oceans or other features conducive to life on the planet's surface.

"Now, we know that at least one of the planets outside of Earth retains its atmosphere"

Robin Wordsworth, one of Cherubim's PhD advisors, Gordon McKay Professor of Environmental Science and Engineering and Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences at Harvard University, said, "Twenty years ago, we were wondering if there were other Earth-like planets. Then we learned they were common, and we discovered some in the habitable zone. The next question was which of these retained their atmospheres. Now, we know that at least one of them retains its atmosphere."

The discovery is considered one of the strongest pieces of evidence to date that planets with conditions capable of supporting life may exist outside the solar system.

Scientists estimated that the planet's atmosphere has likely existed for more than three billion years. This makes the planet a valuable target for future observations.

Scientists had previously discovered thousands of planets, including several rocky planets located in the habitable zones around their stars. However, determining whether these planets possessed atmospheres posed a major challenge.