Researchers have made a significant discovery in exoplanet research by confirming the presence of an atmosphere on LHS 1140 b, a rocky planet located approximately 48 light-years from Earth. The finding, published July 16 in Science, represents the first confirmed detection of an atmosphere on a rocky world situated within its star’s habitable zone—the region where conditions may permit liquid water to exist on a planetary surface.
The discovery was made through observations of helium escaping from LHS 1140 b as it orbited its red dwarf star. Researchers led by Collin Cherubim, a recent Ph.D. graduate from Harvard University, developed a theoretical model predicting that the planet’s upper atmosphere would contain substantial amounts of helium slowly escaping into space. The team tested this prediction using the Warm Infrared Echelle Spectrograph at the Magellan Observatory in Chile, taking advantage of a rare astronomical alignment in which LHS 1140 b and another planet transited their star on the same night.
The observations revealed a clear signal of helium escaping from LHS 1140 b, while the companion planet showed no atmospheric signature. This detection provides evidence that LHS 1140 b has retained its atmosphere for more than three billion years, making it an exceptionally valuable target for future study. The successful identification of the helium signal demonstrates that astronomers may be able to characterize atmospheres on rocky exoplanets from ground-based telescopes by detecting gases escaping into space.
Cherubim and his colleagues plan to use their theoretical model to search for additional rocky worlds with atmospheres and to determine the complete chemical composition of LHS 1140 b’s atmosphere. Future research will aim to establish whether the planet possesses surface oceans or other characteristics relevant to habitability, potentially advancing the broader search for life beyond Earth.
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