Webb on the Forefront of Earth-like Exoplanet Discoveries

After analyzing data from NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), the research team led by Kevin Stevenson and Jacob Lustig-Yaeger from the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland chose to observe the exoplanet LHS 475 b using the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope. With only two transit observations, Webb's Near-Infrared Spectrograph (NIRSpec) captured the planet and confirmed its existence.

LHS 475 b is 41 light years away with a radius nearly equal to that of Earth and an orbital period of two days around an M-type (M3.5V) star in the southern hemisphere constellation of Octans. While the observation couldn't fully identify what atmosphere is present on the planet, it isn't a thick methane-dominated atmosphere. But, there is a possible carbon dioxide atmosphere, which is contrary to expectations due to its compact nature. Further observations with more precise measurements are being planned for this summer in order to distinguish between a pure carbon dioxide atmosphere and no atmosphere at all.

Clearly we're on the cusp of some significant exoplanet discoveries!

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