Study gives new insights into TRAPPIST-1 exoplanets
An artist’s impression of what the TRAPPIST-1 planetary system may look like
@NASA /JPL-Caltech
The seven exoplanets around the star TRAPPIST-1, 40 light-years away, consist mainly of rock and potentially have more water than Earth, a new study has revealed. One of the exoplanets - TRAPPIST-1e - is more similar to the Earth than any other that has been found to date.
The study, carried out by an international team led by the University of Bern, suggests that of the known exoplanets (planets outside our solar system), TRAPPIST-1e most resembles the Earth in terms of its size, density, and the amount of radiation that it receives from its star.
TRAPPIST-1e is the only one of the seven TRAPPIST-1 planets that is somewhat denser than the Earth, and the existence of liquid water on its surface has not been ruled out, the University of Bern said on Monday in a statementExternal link. The international study was published in the journal Astronomy and Astrophysics.
The statement said that at least five of the lighter planets have a covering of volatile substances in the form of atmospheres, oceans or layers of ice. The planets’ densities suggest that some could have up to 5% of their mass in water – which is 250 times more than the oceans on Earth.
More
More
Billions of worlds to discover
This content was published on
Swiss scientists Michel Mayor and Didier Queloz were the first to discover a planet outside our solar system back in 1995. Since then, the catalogue of planets orbiting stars other than the sun (exoplanets) has grown week by week. Although the first photos are now emerging, worlds trillions of kilometres away are still being discovered…
The team measured the precise density of the seven exoplanets in terms of their size, mass and irradiation, with an uncertainty of less than 10%, which is “a first and a decisive step in the characterisation of potential habitability”, Brice-Olivier Demory, Professor at the University of Bern and co-author of the study, declared. The research team identified 35 parameters and developed a new algorithm to estimate the mass of the seven planets.
The seven planets around the cool red dwarf star TRAPPIST-1, which is 40 light years from Earth, or 370,000 billion kilometres, were discovered during the past two years with ground-based instruments and NASA space telescopes. As of February 1, 2018, 3,728 planets have been identified in 2,794 planetary systems, according to the site Exoplanet.euExternal link.
More
More
Thousands of planets – but is there life out there?
This content was published on
On October 6, 1995, Michel Mayor and Didier Quéloz announced the discovery of the first planet orbiting a star other than our sun.
Swiss central banker wants to boost equity to head off risks
This content was published on
Equity levels at the Swiss National Bank (SNB) are much too low for the risks its large balance sheet poses, according to Martin Schlegel.
Beer sales in Switzerland watered down by bad weather
This content was published on
The past brewing year fell through in Switzerland, partly due to the bad weather. Beer sales shrank again. For the first time, per capita consumption fell below the 50 liter mark.
Compensation for Syrian after pregnant wife denied help on Swiss train
This content was published on
Switzerland’s Federal Court has partially upheld the appeal of a Syrian family being deported from Switzerland to Italy in 2014. The man now also receives compensation.
Swiss-EU negotiations: Cassis to meet Sefcovic in Bern
This content was published on
Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis will meet the Vice-President of the EU Commission, Maros Sefcovic, in Bern on Wednesday.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
TRAPPIST-1: a ‘paradigm shift’ in search for ET life
This content was published on
On Wednesday, an international team of researchers announced in the journal NatureExternal link the discovery of TRAPPIST-1: a mini-solar system containing a dwarf star orbited by seven Earth-sized exoplanets. “This is a monumental discovery – as important, I think, as that of the first exoplanet. It marks a paradigm shift in the quest for extra-terrestrial…
This content was published on
Scientists have determined the length of time it takes the last of seven recently discovered exoplanets to orbit around its central dwarf star.
This content was published on
The GJ436b exoplanet follows an elliptical orbit over the poles of its star, researchers from the Swiss University of Geneva have discovered.
Swiss researcher calls existence of dark matter into question
This content was published on
A Geneva researcher has argued that models of the universe’s expansion can work without the concepts of dark matter and energy.
Thousands of planets – but is there life out there?
This content was published on
On October 6, 1995, Michel Mayor and Didier Quéloz announced the discovery of the first planet orbiting a star other than our sun.
This content was published on
Scientists from the universities of Geneva and Bern are heavily involved in the largest European exoplanet research mission.
Promising discovery in search for extra-terrestrial life
This content was published on
A team of international astronomers, including those in Switzerland, have discovered a rocky exoplanet in a habitable zone of a faint red dwarf star.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.