Without an atmosphere, planets in a neighboring solar system boil and freeze at the same time with a difference of more than 500°C.

Written by Caio Aviz

Published on 14/04/2026 at 14:58

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Unprecedented observations show how radiation from red dwarf stars directly affects the habitability of rocky planets similar to Earth

A significant astronomical discovery was recently announced, when researchers used the James Webb Space Telescope to map the climate of exoplanets with Earth-like mass.
The study was published in the journal Nature Astronomy and revealed that the planets in the TRAPPIST-1 system exhibit extreme conditions that hinder the presence of life.
The planets TRAPPIST-1b and TRAPPIST-1c were analyzed and showed a lack of atmosphere, accompanied by thermal variations exceeding 500°C between the illuminated and dark sides.
This behavior indicates that there is no heat circulation, reinforcing the hypothesis of completely hostile environments.

The TRAPPIST-1 system enhances understanding of habitability

The TRAPPIST-1 system was discovered in 2016 and has been considered a natural laboratory for astrobiology studies.
It consists of seven rocky planets orbiting a red dwarf star, which allows for the evaluation of how radiation influences atmospheric evolution.
Researchers observed that the intensity of radiation and the flow of particles from these stars can strip away dense atmospheres over time.
This process helps refine scientific models and directs the search for life to regions farther from the host star.

Synchronous rotation explains temperature extremes

The proximity of the planets to the star causes a phenomenon known as synchronous rotation.
In this case, the planets always keep the same face turned towards the star, similar to the behavior of the Moon in relation to Earth.
This pattern creates two permanent environments: one side constantly illuminated and the other in total darkness.
On planets with an atmosphere, heat would be redistributed, but in this case, the absence of air prevents any thermal equilibrium.

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Thermal difference confirms lack of atmosphere

The data collected by the James Webb revealed a temperature difference of over 500°C between the two sides of the planets.
On the planet TRAPPIST-1b, the side facing the star reaches about 200°C, while the opposite side can drop below -200°C.
This extreme variation indicates that there is no atmosphere capable of retaining or redistributing heat.
The intense radiation from the red dwarf star likely removed any existing gas layer over time.

Possibilities of life are still being investigated

The fact that the closest planets do not present favorable conditions does not mean that the entire system is unviable.
In the Solar System, Mercury has no atmosphere, while Earth and Venus maintain gas layers.
This contrast demonstrates that different planets can have distinct conditions even within the same system.
In light of this, scientists are focusing attention on the planet TRAPPIST-1e, which is located in the habitable zone.

The future of the search for life in the TRAPPIST-1 system

The planet TRAPPIST-1e may have preserved its atmosphere and possibly liquid water.
This condition makes it one of the main candidates for future studies on habitability.
The observations made by the James Webb enhance the understanding of how atmospheres are formed and destroyed in extreme environments.
This advancement reorganizes scientific strategies and guides new investigations into the existence of life beyond Earth.

The search for answers continues to advance and raises a central question: could planets farther away from these stars offer the ideal conditions to host life?

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Without an atmosphere, planets in a neighboring solar system boil and freeze at the same time with a difference of more than 500°C.

Unprecedented observations show how radiation from red dwarf stars directly affects the habitability of rocky planets similar to Earth

The TRAPPIST-1 system enhances understanding of habitability

Synchronous rotation explains temperature extremes

Thermal difference confirms lack of atmosphere

Possibilities of life are still being investigated

The future of the search for life in the TRAPPIST-1 system

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Unprecedented observations show how radiation from red dwarf stars directly affects the habitability of rocky planets similar to Earth

The TRAPPIST-1 system enhances understanding of habitability

Synchronous rotation explains temperature extremes

Thermal difference confirms lack of atmosphere

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A giant half-ton ring fell in Kenya from space, and more than a year later, scientists still do not know where it came from.

In Botswana, a salt flat of up to 16,000 km² that was once an African megalake spends months as an absolute white desert, but during the rainy season it transforms into a shallow sea that reappears from nowhere and can be seen from space in the middle of southern Africa.

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