🚀 Unlocking the Mysteries of the Universe #5: The TRAPPIST-1 🌌

Aside from our own solar system, the most researched planetary system is located around 40 light-years away. With ground- and space-based observatories like Spitzer, Kepler, Hubble, and the James Webb Space Telescope, we have studied the seven rocky exoplanets circling the TRAPPIST-1 star.

The first scientific data from the Webb telescope was published in March 2023. TRAPPIST-1 b, the innermost planet, had a dayside temperature that could be determined by analysis, but there was little sign of an atmosphere.

On February 22, 2017, NASA released a news release announcing the finding of TRAPPIST-1, the star with the most significant number of planets the size of Earth identified in its habitable zone. This system of seven rocky planets—all of which have the potential to have liquid water on their surfaces—is an exciting finding in the hunt for extraterrestrial life. Future research into this unique planetary system might find favorable conditions for life. In February 2018, a closer examination of the seven planets revealed that some might contain significantly more water than the seas of Earth, whether it be in the form of liquid water on some of the planets, atmospheric water vapor on others, or ice on the worlds that are the furthest from their star. The investigation improved our understanding of each planet's density, making TRAPPIST-1 the best-studied planetary system outside of our own.

More information about TRAPPIST-1 planets was uncovered in 2021. They are distinct from Earth, albeit they are formed of comparable materials. That may imply that they all have roughly the same proportion of the elements, such as silicon, iron, oxygen, and magnesium, which are assumed to make up the majority of rocky planets. But if that's the case, the ratio must deviate significantly from Earth's: The planets in the TRAPPIST-1 system are around 8% less dense than they would be if they were identical to Earth.

The Trappist-1 system contains a total of seven planets, all around the size of Earth. Three of these planets are firmly located in the habitable zone, the area around the parent star where a rocky planet is most likely to have water in liquid form. NASA's Spitzer Telescope revealed this first known system of Earth-size planets around a single star. “This discovery could be a significant piece in the puzzle of finding habitable environments, places that are conducive to life,” said Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator of the agency’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington. “Answering the question ‘are we alone’ is a top science priority, and finding so many planets like these for the first time in the habitable zone is a remarkable step forward toward that goal.”

The planet system in the Aquarius constellation is relatively close to us, only 40 light-years (235 trillion miles) away. These planets are known as exoplanets in science because they are outside of our solar system.

The Transiting Planets and Planetesimals Small Telescope (TRAPPIST) in Chile inspired the name TRAPPIST-1 for this planetary system. Using TRAPPIST, scientists reported in May 2016 that they had found three planets in the system. Spitzer confirmed the presence of two of these planets and discovered five new ones, bringing the total number of known planets in the system to seven with the aid of numerous ground-based telescopes, including the Very Large Telescope of the European Southern Observatory.

The brand-new findings were presented at a news event at NASA Headquarters in Washington on Wednesday and later published in Nature.

The researchers accurately determined the diameters of the seven planets using Spitzer data, and they also created initial estimations of the masses of six of them, allowing for the determination of their densities.

All of the TRAPPIST-1 planets are most likely rocky, based on their densities. In addition to determining whether they are water-rich, further inspections may also show whether they have liquid water on their surfaces. The seventh and farthest exoplanet's mass has not yet been determined, but astronomers suspect it may be an icy, "snowball-like" world. More studies are required to confirm this theory. The first Earth-sized planets discovered orbiting this kind of star are the seven wonders of TRAPPIST-1, according to Michael Gillon, the paper's senior author and the head of the TRAPPIST exoplanet survey at the University of Liege in Belgium. It is also the most effective target for researching planets' atmospheres that could support life.

The TRAPPIST-1 star, which is categorized as an ultra-cool dwarf in contrast to our sun, is so chilly that planets circling very near to it—closer than is possible for planets in our solar system—could support liquid water. Compared to Mercury's distance from the sun, all seven TRAPPIST-1 planetary orbits are far closer to their host stars. Additionally, the planets are relatively close to one another. A person standing on one of the planets' surface may look up and observe geological formations or clouds of nearby worlds, which occasionally appear more significant than the moon in the Earth's sky.

According to Nikole Lewis, co-leader of the Hubble research and astronomer at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, Maryland, the TRAPPIST-1 system offers one of the best possibilities to investigate the atmospheres around Earth-size planets during the next ten years. The TRAPPIST-1 system is being studied by NASA's planet-hunting Kepler satellite observatory, which is measuring the star's minute brightness variations brought on by transiting planets. Astronomers will be able to improve the characteristics of the known planets and look for other planets in the system thanks to the K2 mission's observations from the spacecraft. Early in March, the K2 observations come to an end, and the public archive will make them available.

NASA's Science Project Directorate oversees the Spitzer Space Telescope project at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California. Science operations are conducted at Caltech's Spitzer Science Centre in Pasadena, California. Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company, Littleton, Colorado, is the location of spacecraft operations. Data are stored at Caltech/IPAC's Infrared Science Archive. Caltech oversees NASA's JPL.

Seven fascinating exoplanets in the TRAPPIST-1 system, each with unique properties that continue to intrigue astronomers and space fans alike, make up this system. Here is a quick synopsis of these fascinating worlds:

TRAPPIST-1b: With an orbital period of about 1.5 days, this terrestrial planet makes the closest approach to its parent star. Our understanding of rocky planets is challenged by its searing surface.

TRAPPIST-1c: This planet, which is a little bigger than Earth, has an orbital period of around 2.4 days. The state of its surface is unknown despite its close closeness to the star.

TRAPPIST-1d: This planet, which has an orbital period of about 4.05 days, may harbor liquid water. Its proximity to the star places it in the habitable zone, raising questions about the possibility of life there.

TRAPPIST-1e: This planet, which is roughly the size of Earth and orbits in 6.1 days, is an intriguing contender for habitability and the presence of liquid water due to its temperate environment.

TRAPPIST-1f: With a size comparable to Earth's, it completes an orbit in around 9.2 days. Though its conditions may be more severe, the possibility of unusual habitats stimulates scientific interest.

TRAPPIST-1g: With an orbital period of 12.4 days, this planet currently holds the record for the most extended orbital period. Research on its climate is ongoing. Its possible habitability is called into doubt because it is far away from the star.

TRAPPIST-1h: With an orbital period of about 20 days, the planet is furthest distant from the star. Despite lacking information, its position within the system adds to its mystifying qualities.

Collectively, the seven planets of the TRAPPIST-1 system offer a diverse range of exoplanetary environments, underscoring the rich tapestry of possibilities beyond our solar system. #TRAPPIST1 #Exoplanets #SpaceDiscoveries