Illustration showing what exoplanet GJ 1214 b could look like based on current information. GJ 1214 b, a warm sub-Neptune-sized exoplanet roughly 48 light-years from Earth, is one of the most studied exoplanets in the galaxy. Previous spectroscopic observations indicate that the planet is shrouded in aerosols (clouds or haze), which have thus far made it impossible to determine the composition of gases that make up its thick atmosphere.
This illustration is based on our knowledge of the planet and its host star, and predictions about the likely properties of the planet’s atmosphere. Spectroscopic data from Webb will help us better understand the gases and aerosols that make up the planet’s atmosphere.
GJ 1214 b is in between Earth and Neptune in terms of size (radius 2.74 times Earth), mass (8.2 times Earth), and density (2.2 times water). It orbits its star at a distance of only 0.015 astronomical unit (1.5% of the distance between Earth and the Sun), completing one orbit in 1.58 Earth-days. The star, GJ 1214, is cool red dwarf star with a radius of just 0.22 times that of the Sun, a mass of just 0.18 times the Sun, and a temperature of just 3,250 kelvins (around 2,975 degrees Celsius), about 2,500 degrees cooler than the Sun.
Credits
Artwork
NASA, ESA, CSA, Dani Player (STScI)
| About The Object | |
|---|---|
| Object Name | GJ 1214 b |
| Object Description | Warm sub-Neptune exoplanet orbiting an M red dwarf star |
| R.A. Position | 17:15:19.54 |
| Dec. Position | +04:57:38.45 |
| Constellation | Ophiuchus |
| Distance | 48 light-years from Earth |
| Dimensions | Radius: 2.74 times Earth; Mass: 8.2 times Earth; Density: 2.2 times water; Distance from star: 0.0149 AU; Orbital period: 1.58 Earth-days |
| About The Data | |
| Data Description | Illustration based on . |
| About The Object | |
|---|---|
| Object Name | A name or catalog number that astronomers use to identify an astronomical object. |
| Object Description | The type of astronomical object. |
| R.A. Position | Right ascension – analogous to longitude – is one component of an object's position. |
| Dec. Position | Declination – analogous to latitude – is one component of an object's position. |
| Constellation | One of 88 recognized regions of the celestial sphere in which the object appears. |
| Distance | The physical distance from Earth to the astronomical object. Distances within our solar system are usually measured in Astronomical Units (AU). Distances between stars are usually measured in light-years. Interstellar distances can also be measured in parsecs. |
| Dimensions | The physical size of the object or the apparent angle it subtends on the sky. |
| About The Data | |
| Data Description |
|
| Instrument | The science instrument used to produce the data. |
| Exposure Dates | The date(s) that the telescope made its observations and the total exposure time. |
| Filters | The camera filters that were used in the science observations. |
| About The Image | |
| Image Credit | The primary individuals and institutions responsible for the content. |
| Publication Date | The date and time the release content became public. |
| Color Info | A brief description of the methods used to convert telescope data into the color image being presented. |
| Orientation | The rotation of the image on the sky with respect to the north pole of the celestial sphere. |
