Larger, Gas Giant Exoplanets Will Also Fall Under Webb's Gaze

This month marks the third anniversary of the discovery of a remarkable system of seven planets known as TRAPPIST-1. These seven rocky, Earth-size worlds orbit an ultra-cool star 39 light-years from Earth. Three of those planets are in the habitable zone, meaning they are at the right orbital distance to be warm enough for liquid water to exist on their surfaces. After its 2021 launch, NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope will observe those worlds with the goal of making the first detailed near-infrared study of the atmosphere of a habitable-zone planet.

ESA Reports A Few Tense Moments In Getting The Spacecraft Oriented

At 16:00 CET on Thursday, February 13, the critical first 83 hours of Solar Orbiter’s unique mission to study our star came to an end. “This early phase is like the birth of a child,” says Operations Director Andrea Accomazzo. “Engineers want to be sure that it can survive on its own in its new environment.”