James Webb Measured the Temperature of a Planet

Our new eyes in space, the James Webb Space Telescope, don’t just see. This telescope, which can see in extreme detail, can also measure temperature thanks to this feature.

In 2017, researchers who wanted to measure the temperature of the rocky planet Trappist-1b in the 7-planet Trappist-1 system, roughly similar to Earth in size and mass, used James Web’s Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI), which can be translated as “Mid-Infrared Instrument”. .

Trappist-1b, which astronomers consider “habitable”, is a furnace-temperature planet according to James Webb.

Trying to calculate how much infrared light the planet emits by subtracting the brightness of the star, the researchers found that the daytime temperature of the planet Trappist-1b was 230 degrees Celsius. This temperature is a value that can be cooked pizza, pita.

A planet with no atmosphere without carbon dioxide.

The French Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) said that the “heat redistribution” normally seen when there is an atmosphere is not on this planet. It also turns out that carbon dioxide, which should have absorbed some of the light if it had, is not found on this planet.

Trappist-1e was already predicted to be uninhabitable, as it is the closest planet to its star.

The Trappist-1 system consists of 7 planets orbiting a red dwarf, only 40 light-years away from the Solar System. Trappist-1b is the closest planet to the star. According to the researchers, there is a possibility of life in Trappist-1e, Trappist-1f and Trappist-1g located here. Planets in this region are in a position to harbor liquid water, which is considered essential for life.

The James Webb Space Telescope makes these discoveries “it was worth the wait”. James Webb, whom we expect to make numerous discoveries in the coming period, will also try to measure the temperature of other planets in Trappist-1.