A super Earth planet named 55 Cancri e, situated 41 light years away in a nearby solar system, has been discovered to have a thick atmosphere. This rocky planet, twice as big as Earth, is composed of carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide, although the exact amounts are unknown. In contrast, Earth’s atmosphere consists of nitrogen, oxygen, argon and other gases.
Researchers studying this planet have published their findings in the journal Nature. According to Ian Crossfield, an astronomer at the University of Kansas, the study provides strong evidence that 55 Cancri e has an atmosphere. Despite boiling temperatures reaching up to 4200 degrees Fahrenheit and being unlikely to support life on its surface, this discovery offers hope for the existence of other rocky planets with thick atmospheres that may be more habitable.
The Webb Space Telescope was used by researchers to determine the planet’s temperature and analyze how heat is distributed evenly across its surface. This characteristic is associated with atmospheres. Renyu Hu, a planetary scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory involved in the research describes this discovery as a rare window into understanding the early phases of planet evolution.
The gases emitted from 55 Cancri e’s magma oceans could be crucial in maintaining its atmosphere. Studying this super Earth further may offer insights into the early evolution of Earth and Mars both of which may have had magma oceans that have since cooled.