Astronomers have made a groundbreaking discovery using the James Webb Space Telescope, finding a rocky “super-Earth” exoplanet, 55 Cancri e, with an atmosphere. This planet, significantly larger than Earth but smaller than Neptune, orbits a star 41 light-years away in the constellation Cancer. Despite its atmosphere, which could be as thick as Venus’s or Earth’s and possibly contains gases like carbon dioxide or carbon monoxide, 55 Cancri e is not habitable due to its molten rock surface and extreme surface temperature of about 3,140 degrees Fahrenheit. The planet completes an orbit every 18 hours and is likely tidally locked, always showing the same face to its star. This discovery is notable as it marks the first time an atmosphere has been detected around a rocky exoplanet, a significant step forward in exoplanet exploration. However, the conditions on 55 Cancri e are far too harsh for life as we know it, emphasizing the need for further exploration of cooler planets that could potentially support liquid water and, consequently, life.
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