The most common stars in the universe are red dwarf stars, which means that rocky exoplanets are most likely to be found orbiting such a star. Additional Webb observations will help answer the question: Can a rocky planet maintain, or reestablish, an atmosphere in the harsh environment near a red dwarf star? But an equally likely possibility is that the water vapor is actually from the outer layer of the planet's cool host star. The water vapor could be from an atmosphere enveloping the planet, in which case it would need to be continually replenished due to losses from stellar irradiation. And yet, Webb observations show hints of water vapor. It is too close to its star to be within the habitable zone, with a surface temperature of about 800 degrees Fahrenheit. It orbits a red dwarf star in just under 1.5 Earth days. GJ 486 b is about 30% larger than the Earth and three times as massive, which means it is a rocky world with stronger gravity than Earth. Credit: ILLUSTRATION: NASA, ESA, CSA, Joseph Olmsted (STScI) It orbits its star closely in just under 1.5 days. GJ 486 b is about 30% larger than the Earth and weighs three times as much. However, they caution that while this might be a sign of a planetary atmosphere, the water could be on the star itself-specifically, in cool starspots-and not from the planet at all. By observing GJ 486 b transit in front of its star, astronomers sought signs of an atmosphere. This artist concept represents the rocky exoplanet GJ 486 b, which orbits a red dwarf star that is only 26 light-years away in the constellation Virgo.
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