Webb Telescope Discovers Rocky Exoplanet with No Atmosphere
The James Webb Space Telescope has measured the temperature of the rocky exoplanet TRAPPIST-1 b, indicating that its dayside has a temperature of about 500 kelvins (roughly 230°C) and suggesting that it has no significant atmosphere. This is the first detection of any form of light emitted by an exoplanet as small and as cool as the rocky planets in our own solar system. The result marks an important step in determining whether planets orbiting small active stars like TRAPPIST-1 can sustain atmospheres needed to support life.