Following its October 2018 launch, NASAs James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) will observe the seven Earth-sized planets discovered orbiting the red dwarf star TRAPPIST-1, NASA announced last week.

Discovered in February, these planets are ideal targets for JWST because of their relatively nearby location just 40 light years away.

The star is small, so signals from the planets should be large, making it possible for scientists using JWST to detect atmospheric components.

Three of the planets, designated e, f, and g, are located in the stars habitable zone, where temperatures would allow liquid water to exist on their surfaces.

Scientists will use JWST to probe the planets atmospheres to determine the proportion of particular molecules, such as carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, methane, oxygen, ozone, and water. Knowing the proportions of these molecules will inform researchers as to whether the planets environments are conducive to supporting life.

JWST will observe in the infrared and will use spectroscopy, a technique in which light is split into distinct wavelengths, and their spectra analyzed, in its study of the system. These tools will extend its capabilities beyond those of the Hubble Space Telescope.

Each molecule has its own unique wavelength signature, so spectroscopy will enable scientists to identify the specific chemical components and their proportions in these worlds atmospheres.

These are the best Earth-sized planets for the James Webb Space Telescope to characterize, perhaps for its whole lifetime, said Hannah Wakeford, a postdoctoral fellow at NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center, where the telescope is currently located.

The Webb telescope will increase the information we have about these planets immensely. With the extended wavelength coverage, we will be able to see if their atmospheres have water, methane, carbon monoxide/dioxide, and/or oxygen.

Scientists will specifically look for evidence of ozone or methane, both of which are biomarkers, or signs of biological activity.

Ozone is produced when oxygen emitted by plant life via photosynthesis is released into the atmosphere and interacts with sunlight. Tracking methane will lead researchers to biological sources that could be producing oxygen.

The TRAPPIST-1 system will make it possible for scientists to engage in comparative planetology, a new field that involves comparing processes and compositions of different worlds.

Engineers and scientists are now conducting various tests on JWST, whose mirrors were installed last year.

For thousands of years, people have wondered, are there other planets like Earth out there? Do any support life? Now, we have a bunch of planets that are accessible for further study to try to start to answer these ancient questions, emphasized Sara Seager of MIT in the NASA statement.

Laurel Kornfeld is a freelance writer and amateur astronomer from Highland Park, NJ, who enjoys writing about astronomy and planetary science. She studied journalism at Douglass College, Rutgers University, and earned a Graduate Certificate of Science in astronomy from Swinburne Universitys Astronomy Online program.

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James Webb Space Telescope will observe TRAPPIST-1 planets - The Space Reporter