Astronomers have recently announced a groundbreaking discovery; they claim to have observed a distant exoplanet outside our solar system that potentially contain deep oceans. This significant advancement in our search for habitable environments beyond Earth and it was made possible by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope.
Using the James Webb Telescope, astronomers successfully detected chemical signatures indicative of water vapor, methane, and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere of this distant exoplanet. With a radius twice that of Earth, this exoplanet is located approximately 70 light years away from our planet.
Researchers from the University of Cambridge suggest that the chemical composition observed is consistent with a world that may possess a hydrogen-rich atmosphere. The ocean’s water temperatures exceeding 100°C—hotter than boiling water on Earth. The high atmospheric pressure on this exoplanet would allow for the existence of liquid oceans, although its habitability remains uncertain. These findings were detailed in a paper published in the journal Astronomy and Astrophysics Letters.
Not all scientists are in agreement with this particular assessment. After conducting extensive research, A Canadian scientist disputes the claim and proposing that the exoplanet’s temperature could soar to as high as 4000 degrees Celsius. Regardless of these conflicting interpretations, the recent observations underscore the remarkable capabilities of the James Webb Telescope.
The James Webb Telescope possesses the unique ability to analyze the chemical compositions of distant planets and investigate their potential habitability. The presence of high-pressure ice in its atmosphere suggests the possibility of deep oceans over a rocky surface below. Additional observations conducted by Professor Bjorn Benecke of the University of Montreal further support the notion of oceans existing on this distant world.
Despite the extreme conditions and uncertainties surrounding its habitability, the exoplanet’s atmosphere appears to contain significant amounts of water vapor and carbon disulfide, further fueling speculation about the existence of oceans on its surface.
