ISTANBUL

Scottish researchers have discovered a possible atmosphere around an Earth-like planet about 40 light-years away, The National reported Monday.

Researchers from the University of St Andrews have published a study in the Astrophysical Journal Letters on the possibility of an atmosphere around the planet TRAPPIST-1e.

Planet 1e, the fourth planet in the TRAPPIST-1 system located squarely within its star’s habitable zone, is especially intriguing to researchers because liquid water might exist there, but only if the planet possesses an atmosphere.

Researchers conducted the first search for an atmosphere and surface habitability of the planet with the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST).

The initial findings, which suggest several possible scenarios such as an atmosphere on TRAPPIST-1e, represent a major milestone in the quest to identify habitable conditions beyond Earth.

"We are seeing two possible explanations. The most exciting possibility is that TRAPPIST-1e could have a so-called secondary atmosphere containing heavy gases like nitrogen. But our initial observations cannot yet rule out a bare rock with no atmosphere," said Ryan MacDonald, who contributed to the analysis of TRAPPIST-1e’s spectrum.

Researchers are now using JWST to gather more data on TRAPPIST-1e for a deeper atmospheric search.

"TRAPPIST-1e has long been considered one of the best habitable zone planets to search for an atmosphere," MacDonald further said.