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Update on the 7 Earth-sized planets orbiting nearby TRAPPIST-1 - EarthSky

Update on the 7 Earth-sized planets orbiting nearby TRAPPIST-1 - EarthSky

Update on the 7 Earth-sized planets orbiting nearby TRAPPIST-1 - EarthSky
Jan 24, 2021 2 mins, 40 secs

A new study of the seven Earth-sized exoplanets around TRAPPIST-1 indicate that all 7 planets are extremely similar to each other in makeup, but potentially quite different from Earth.

An exciting discovery by the Spitzer Space Telescope in 2017 revealed seven Earth-sized planets orbiting the nearby star TRAPPIST-1, less than 40 light-years away.

Three of the Trappist-1 planets are firmly within the star’s habitable zone – aka the Goldilocks’ Zone – in which liquid water can exist on a planet’s surface.

At present, the feeling among astronomers is that it’s unlikely water will be found on the surfaces of Trappist-1’s three innermost planets, and, if the four outermost planets do have surface water, it isn’t much.

By combining the planetary interior models from the Universities of Bern and Zürich with the planetary atmosphere models we are developing at the University of Geneva, we were able to evaluate the water content of the seven TRAPPIST-1 planets with a precision literally unprecedented for this category of planet.

Since the seven bodies in TRAPPIST-1 were known to share a relatively similar density to each other, researchers were met with a quandary when comparing these exoplanets to Earth.

That’s why, at the outset of the study, researchers worked to determine whether the lower density of the seven exoplanets was the result of water or their interior makeup, both of which would determine whether the planets are very or only somewhat Earth-like in nature.

For the lower density of the planets to be the result of surface water, roughly 5% of each planet’s mass would have to exist as surface water!

He added in the statement that the planets are likely to have less than a few percent of water mass; otherwise, the similar densities within the group would be an extraordinary coincidence.

Artist’s concept of the similar densities of the 7 exoplanets in the TRAPPIST-1 star system.

Combined with radius measurements of each planet, scientists were able to calculate the densities of the planets with more precision.

Using a comparison against Earth’s mass, the team was able to calculate the percentage of iron likely to be present in each of the seven exoplanets.

Using data from the now decommissioned Spitzer Space Telescope, astronomers determined that all 7 of the planets orbiting TRAPPIST-1 have similar densities.

While all 7 planets are considered to be roughly Earth-sized, they are each about 8% less dense than our home planet, meaning their makeup, while potentially similar to Earth, in terms of elements like iron, is significantly different in percentages.

Combining these data with radius measurements of each planet, scientists calculated the densities of the planets with more precision than before.

Using a comparison against Earth’s mass, the team was able to calculate the percentage of iron likely to be present in each of the seven exoplanets.

After the discovery of exoplanets orbiting TRAPPIST-1 in 2016, the Spitzer Space Telescope logged 1,075 observing hours on the star system, generating enough data for astronomers to accurately determine the densities and makeup of each planet.

Bottom line: A new study of the seven Earth-sized exoplanets in the TRAPPIST-1 system indicate that all seven planets are extremely similar to each other in makeup, but potentially quite different from Earth.

Summarized by 365NEWSX ROBOTS

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