Illustration showing what exoplanet 55 Cancri e could look like, based on current understanding of the planet.
55 Cancri e is a rocky planet with a diameter almost twice that of Earth orbiting just 0.015 astronomical units from its Sun-like star. Because of its tight orbit, the planet is extremely hot, with dayside temperatures reaching 4,400 degrees Fahrenheit (about 2,400 degrees Celsius).
Although previous studies have ruled out a thick hydrogen, carbon dioxide, or water atmosphere, it is possible that the planet has a substantial atmosphere made of oxygen or nitrogen, or a very thin atmosphere of mineral vapor, such as silicon oxide.
Researchers think that if the planet is tidally locked, the lit surface must be permanently molten. If the planet is not locked, it would experience day-night cycles, with the surface heating up and melting during the day, and cooling and solidifying at night. The extreme heat during the day would also cause some of the molten rock to vaporize, forming a very tenuous mineral vapor atmosphere. In the evening, this vapor would condense and fall as a rain of lava back onto the surface, where it would turn solid overnight.
Spectroscopic observations using Webb’s Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam) and Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) will help determine whether or not the planet has an atmosphere, and if so, what that atmosphere is made of. The observations will also help determine whether or not the planet is tidally locked.
Credits
Artwork
NASA, ESA, CSA, Dani Player (STScI)
| About The Object | |
|---|---|
| Object Name | 55 Cancri e |
| Object Description | Very hot super-Earth exoplanet orbiting a Sun-like star |
| R.A. Position | 08:52:35.24 |
| Dec. Position | +28:19:47.34 |
| Constellation | Cancer |
| Distance | 41 light-years from Earth |
| 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. |
