Discovering the Thick Atmosphere of a Rocky Super Earth: A Rare Window into Planet Evolution

A rocky super Earth planet named 55 Cancri e, situated 41 light years away in a nearby solar system, has been discovered to have a thick atmosphere composed of carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide. This planet is twice as big as Earth and circles its star Copernicus closely, with permanent day and night sides. The study published in the journal Nature provides strong evidence that this super Earth has an atmosphere.

By studying observations from the Webb Space Telescope, researchers were able to determine the planet’s temperature and analyze how heat is distributed evenly across its surface, a characteristic associated with atmospheres. The gases emitted from the planet’s magma oceans could be crucial in maintaining its atmosphere. Investigating this super Earth further may offer insights into the early evolution of Earth and Mars, both of which may have had magma oceans that have since cooled.

This discovery offers hope for the existence of other rocky planets with thick atmospheres that may be more habitable. However, due to its boiling temperatures reaching up to 4,200 degrees Fahrenheit, this super Earth is unlikely to support life. Renyu Hu, a planetary scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory involved in the research, describes this discovery as a rare window into understanding the early phases of planet evolution.