Can you imagine seven Earth-sized, rocky planets orbiting a red dwarf star? Such a system exists, which is known as TRAPPIST-1, and it’s only 40 light-years away.
Multiple space telescopes, including Spitzer and Hubble, have studied this system across different wavelengths of light. And now the James Webb Space Telescope, with its infrared sensitivity and spectroscopic capabilities, is unlocking a new exciting chapter of the TRAPPIST-1 story. With Webb, astronomers are obtaining details about the atmospheric conditions of these planets for the first time, improving their understanding of these intriguing worlds.
What have we learned so far with Webb? And what do we still not know? Get up to speed on the scientific tale of the TRAPPIST-1 system, a story that is still underway.
Credit: STScI.













