The Secrets of the Universe | A Disappointing Message NASA Didn't Want To Receive From James Webb @TheSecretsoftheUniverse | Uploaded April 2023 | Updated October 2024, 4 days ago.
The TRAPPIST-1 system was one of the most awaited targets of the James Webb Space Telescope. Lying a mere 40 light years away, it comprises seven Earth-sized rocky planets orbiting an ultra-cool red dwarf star. Three of the seven planets lie in the habitable zone of the star, making the TRAPPIST-1 system one of the best shots in our search for extraterrestrial life. However, Webb's first detailed analysis of the innermost planet, TRAPPIST-1 b, is here, and it's not promising.

So what did Webb discover in one of the planets of the system? What techniques were used to determine the nature of the planet orbiting TRAPPIST-1? Finally, and most importantly, why are these results so critical for astronomers?

The 52nd episode of the Sunday Discovery Series answers all these questions in detail.

REFERENCES:
Research Paper: bit.ly/3GbXbHc
NASA Press Release: go.nasa.gov/3KnQNPx

All Episodes Of The Series: bit.ly/369kG4p
Basics of Astrophysics series: bit.ly/3xII54M

Created by: Rishabh Nakra
Narrated by: Jeffrey Smith