Atmosphere Discovered on Super-Earth LHS 1140b: Potential for Life Increases
- Astronomers have detected an atmosphere on LHS 1140b, a super-Earth located in the habitable zone of its star, according to reports from the Berliner Zeitung and Der Standard.
- LHS 1140b is classified as a super-Earth, meaning it is larger than Earth but smaller than Neptune.
- The habitable zone, often called the Goldilocks zone, is the orbital region around a star where temperatures allow liquid water to persist without freezing or evaporating.
Astronomers have detected an atmosphere on LHS 1140b, a super-Earth located in the habitable zone of its star, according to reports from the Berliner Zeitung and Der Standard. This discovery marks the first time an atmosphere has been confirmed for a rocky planet in a region where liquid water could exist on the surface.
LHS 1140b is classified as a super-Earth, meaning it is larger than Earth but smaller than Neptune. The detection of an atmosphere increases the probability that the planet could support life, as reported by DIE ZEIT. Researchers identified the presence of helium in the atmosphere, a finding highlighted by it boltwise.
Atmospheric Composition and Habitable Zone Conditions
The habitable zone, often called the Goldilocks zone, is the orbital region around a star where temperatures allow liquid water to persist without freezing or evaporating. According to Welt der Physik, the confirmation of an atmosphere on LHS 1140b is significant because rocky planets in these zones often have their atmospheres stripped away by stellar radiation.