See Part 1 in this video series.
Video Transcript:
Well, TRAPPIST-1 is a really interesting system for James Webb to observe. Its going to observe TRAPPIST-1 early in its operating cycle.
And the reason that astronomers are so delighted by TRAPPIST-1 is that its a system of seven, you know, not simply one or two, however seven rocky planets orbiting a truly low mass star.
This is truly, really fascinating since these planets sort of are a natural laboratory to study procedures that might affect planetary habitability. Because some of the worlds in that system are too close to the star to be habitable, and the factor for that is. Theyre most likely too hot.
A few of the worlds in that system are just the ideal range from their star to possibly be habitable. And after that a minimum of one of the planets in the system is most likely too cold to be habitable. I would most likely guess that its cold and frozen over if I were to guess.
By studying all the worlds in the system and comparing and contrasting their qualities, we may learn more about how planetary habitability varies as you move out or inward from your range from your parent star, and also about the various procedures that can allow or perhaps destroy habitability at various distances from your star.
Thats truly, actually exciting.
And all of these planets are orbiting the exact same star.
We understand theyre all formed together; theyre all from the exact same product; they all experience the exact same procedures from the star over their lifetime.
Its a really, actually great system to utilize for this kind of contrast.
And naturally, we also wish to look for biosignatures in the environments of the possibly habitable TRAPPIST-1 planets. And if we find things thatll be truly, truly fascinating due to the fact that these low mass stars like TRAPPIST-1 are, theyre very various from our massive Sun-like stars.
These low mass stars tend to be … theyre actually, actually active. They produce a lot of high energy outstanding flares. They produce a lot of high-energy radiation.
Whatever evolutionary history these planets have actually had over time, its most likely pretty different from the planets of our solar system simply due to the fact that its star behaves so in a different way.
Therefore, itll likewise be truly, really fascinating to compare the planets in the system to the rocky planets in our planetary system and see, you know, in what methods are these planets various, but also in what ways are they the very same?
During its very first operating cycle, the James Webb Space Telescope will set its sights on the TRAPPIST-1 system, an amazing collection of 7 rocky exoplanets 41 light years far from Earth.
Because TRAPPIST-1 is an ideal laboratory for studying habitability, astrobiologists like Dr. Giada Arney from the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center are excited about this system! It consists of 7 rocky worlds, distributed throughout the systems habitable zone, or the location around a star where it is not too hot and not too cold for liquid water to exist on the surface of surrounding planets. Webb will define the atmospheres of these worlds and assist researchers discover more about planetary development and habitability.
Astrobiologists like Dr. Giada Arney from the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center are delighted about this system because TRAPPIST-1 is a perfect laboratory for studying habitability! It consists of seven rocky worlds, distributed throughout the systems habitable zone, or the area around a star where it is not too hot and not too cold for liquid water to exist on the surface area of surrounding worlds. And the factor for that is because some of the planets in that system are too close to the star to be habitable. Some of the planets in that system are simply the ideal range from their star to possibly be habitable. And then at least one of the worlds in the system is probably too cold to be habitable.