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Rocky Exoplanet TRAPPIST-1 b (Illustration)
This illustration shows what the hot rocky exoplanet TRAPPIST-1 b could look like based on this work. TRAPPIST-1 b, the innermost of seven known planets in the TRAPPIST-1 system, orbits its star at a distance of 0.011 AU, completing one circuit in just 1.51 Earth-days. TRAPPIST-1 b is slightly larger than Earth, but has around the same density, which indicates that it must have a rocky composition. Webb’s measurement of mid-infrared light given off by TRAPPIST-1 b suggests that the planet does not have any substantial atmosphere. The star, TRAPPIST-1, is an ultracool red dwarf (M dwarf) with a temperature of only 2,566 kelvins and a mass just 0.09 times the mass of the Sun.
This illustration is based on new data gathered by Webb’s Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) as well as previous observations from other ground- and space-based telescopes. Webb has not captured any images of the planet.
About the Object
- R.A. PositionR.A. PositionRight ascension – analogous to longitude – is one component of an object's position.23h 06m 30s
- Dec. PositionDec. PositionDeclination – analogous to latitude – is one component of an object's position.-05d 02m 30s
- ConstellationConstellationOne of 88 recognized regions of the celestial sphere in which the object appears.Aquarius
- DistanceDistanceThe physical distance from Earth to the astronomical object. Distances within our solar system are usually measured in Astronomical Units (AU). Distances between stars are usually measured in light-years. Interstellar distances can also be measured in parsecs.40 light-years
- DimensionsDimensionsThe physical size of the object or the apparent angle it subtends on the sky.Star: radius = 0.11 × Sun; mass = 0.09 × Sun Planet: radius = 1.1 × Earth; mass = 1.4 × Earth
About the Data
- Data DescriptionData DescriptionProposal: A description of the observations, their scientific justification, and the links to the data available in the science archive.
Science Team: The astronomers who planned the observations and analyzed the data. "PI" refers to the Principal Investigator.
- Object NameObject NameA name or catalog number that astronomers use to identify an astronomical object.TRAPPIST-1 and TRAPPIST-1 b
- Object DescriptionObject DescriptionThe type of astronomical object.M-dwarf star and rocky exoplanet
- Release DateMarch 27, 2023
- Science ReleaseNASA’s Webb Measures the Temperature of a Rocky Exoplanet
- CreditIllustration: NASA, ESA, CSA, Joseph Olmsted (STScI); Science: Thomas Greene (NASA Ames), Taylor Bell (BAERI), Elsa Ducrot (CEA), Pierre-Olivier Lagage (CEA)
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Rocky Exoplanet TRAPPIST-1 b (Secondary Eclipse Light Curve)
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Rocky Exoplanet TRAPPIST-1 b (Dayside Temperature Comparison)
Comparison of the dayside temperature of TRAPPIST-1 b as measured using Webb’s Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) to computer models showing what the temperature would be under various conditions. The models take into account the known properties of the system, including the...
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Details
Laura Betz
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
Greenbelt, Maryland
laura.e.betz@nasa.gov
NASA, ESA, CSA, Joseph Olmsted (STScI)
Thomas Greene (NASA Ames), Taylor Bell (BAERI), Elsa Ducrot (CEA), Pierre-Olivier Lagage (CEA)
