For by Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible,...For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, ...so that THEY ARE WITHOUT EXCUSE: Col 1:16 / Rom.1:20

Saturday, July 13, 2024

EXO-PLANETS: Snowball Planet? (LHS 1140b)

 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God... Hebrews 11:3

"LHS 1140 is a cool low-mass star approximately 39 light-years away in the constellation of Cetus.
LHS 1140
is known to host three exoplanets: LHS 1140b, LHS 1140c and LHS 1140d.
Earlier this year, astronomers reported new mass and radius estimates for LHS 1140b with exceptional accuracy, comparable to those of the well-known TRAPPIST-1 planets: 1.7 times the size of Earth and 5.6 times its mass.
An analysis of the new Webb observations strongly excluded the mini-Neptune scenario, with tantalizing evidence suggesting exoplanet LHS 1140b is a super-Earth that may even have a nitrogen-rich atmosphere.
Estimates based on all accumulated data reveal that LHS 1140b is less dense than expected for a rocky planet with an Earth-like composition, suggesting that 10 to 20% of its mass may be composed of water.
If this result is confirmed, LHS 1140b would be the first temperate planet to show evidence of a secondary atmosphere. This discovery points to LHS 1140b being a compelling water world, likely resembling a snowball planet with a potential liquid ocean at the sub-stellar point, the area of the planet’s surface that would always be facing the system’s host star due to the planet’s expected synchronous rotation." 
SciNews