An international team of researchers, led by the University of Birmingham, has been working to better characterise the seven planets in the system, which is 40 light years away from Earth.
It’s currently our best hope for finding alien life, and now a series of studies has shed new light on the Trappist-1 planetary system.
An international team of researchers, led by the University of Birmingham, has been working to better characterise the seven planets in the system, which is 40 light years away from Earth.
These characteristics include the planets’ sizes, masses and atmospheres, as well as the properties of the star at the centre of the system.
Dr Amaury Triaud, who worked on the studies, said: “After discovering this incredible planetary system our team was extremely eager to know more about TRAPPIST-1.
“A year on, we are reporting our results. Thanks to our efforts the TRAPPIST-1 planets are becoming the best studied worlds outside the Solar system.”
The team found that all seven planets are mostly made of rock, with up to five per cent of their mass in water – a significant amount.
They also found that five of the planets don’t have an atmosphere made of hydrogen and helium, like the atmosphere around Neptune and Uranus.
The researchers believe that Trappist-1e, the fourth planet from the star, is the most similar to Earth
This suggests that the planets are similar to the rocky worlds in our solar system – and that they could be habitable.
The form that water on the planets takes depends on how hot they are.
But the researchers believe that all seven planets are temperate – suggesting that water could be liquid.
Five of the planets don’t have an atmosphere made of hydrogen and helium, like the atmosphere around Neptune and Uranus
In particular, the researchers believe that Trappist-1e, the fourth planet from the star, is the most similar to Earth.
Dr Triad said: “When we combine our new masses with our improved radii measurements, and our improve knowledge of the star, we obtain precise densities for each of the seven worlds, and reach information on their internal composition.
“All seven planets remarkably resemble Mercury, Venus, our Earth, its Moon, and Mars.”
The researchers now hope to study the planetary system further to understand whether it could host alien life.
