NASA Detects Atmosphere on Scorching Rocky Exoplanet 55 Cancri e, 41 Light-Years Away

May 8, 2024, 08:00 PM

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, operated by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, has potentially detected atmospheric gases surrounding 55 Cancri e, a scorching rocky exoplanet located 41 light-years away from Earth. This discovery marks a significant milestone as it represents the best evidence to date of a rocky planet with an atmosphere outside our solar system. The planet, also known as Janssen, is almost nine times the size of Earth and has a molten rock surface, making it uninhabitable despite its thick atmosphere.