Astronomers have detected an atmosphere on LHS 1140 b, a rocky, Earth-like planet in the habitable zone. Located 48 light-years away, this exoplanet orbits a cool red dwarf star. This marks a major milestone, as it's the first time researchers have identified an atmosphere on a potentially life-supporting rocky world.
The discovery was made by a team from Harvard University who detected signatures of a helium-rich atmosphere escaping from the planet. Because red dwarf stars are notorious for stripping nearby planets of their atmospheres via intense radiation, researchers were surprised to find that LHS 1140 b has held onto this atmosphere for over three billion years.
While a helium-heavy atmosphere cannot support life as we know it, scientists are optimistic. The detection proves that rocky planets in the "Goldilocks" zone—the perfect distance for liquid water to exist on the surface—can actually retain an atmosphere. If the planet possesses a deeper, heavier secondary atmosphere (such as nitrogen or carbon dioxide) beneath the leaking helium, it could theoretically trap enough heat to support a massive liquid ocean, making it one of the strongest candidates for astrobiology.
#LHS1140b #HabitableZone #ExoplanetDiscovery
