Astronomers Discover Atmosphere on Earth-like Exoplanet in Habitable Zone

WHO:

Yahoo - Dr. Collin Cherubim, lead author from Harvard University

Yahoo - Dr. David Charbonneau, also from Harvard University

WHAT:

CNET - LHS 1140b is a rocky “super-Earth,” 1.7 times bigger than Earth and with 5.6 times its mass.

The Times of Israel - The exoplanet’s surface temperature is believed to be fairly similar to that on Earth and Mars.

Yahoo - The researchers confirmed that the planet was leaking some helium into space, which helped confirm the presence of an atmosphere.

Yahoo - Researchers discovered the first atmosphere surrounding an Earth-like, rocky planet in the habitable zone of a distant star.

Yahoo - The gas detected in the atmosphere is helium, which does not support life.

CNET - This is the first rocky planet, other than Earth, that has been found to have an atmosphere.

WHERE:

Yahoo - The planet, called LHS 1140 b, is located 48 light-years from Earth, orbiting a red star that is much smaller and cooler than the Sun.

WHEN:

Yahoo - The researchers published their findings in the journal Science.

WHY:

Yahoo - The discovery provides strong evidence that worlds with conditions similar to Earth could exist beyond our solar system.

Yahoo - For a planet to support life, it must have water and be at the right distance from its star, known as the "Goldilocks zone."

HOW:

The Times of Israel - Researchers detected the atmosphere by observing data from the transit of its star, noting that when the planet passes in front of the star, starlight filters through the atmosphere, allowing detection of specific molecules like helium.

Yahoo - The researchers detected helium in the atmosphere, likely in the upper atmosphere, but suggest that other, more life-sustaining gases may be present lower down.

(UPDATED July 18, 2026 22:12 UTC)

Scientists have made an exciting discovery about LHS 1140b, a rocky super-Earth that is 1.7 times larger than our planet and has a mass 5.6 times greater. The surface temperature of this exoplanet is thought to be quite similar to that of Earth and Mars, and researchers have confirmed that it is leaking helium into space, indicating the presence of an atmosphere. This was achieved by analyzing data from the transit of its star, where starlight passing through the atmosphere allowed for the detection of specific molecules like helium.

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(UPDATED July 18, 2026 16:16 UTC)

Researchers from Harvard University, led by Dr. Collin Cherubim and Dr. David Charbonneau, have made a groundbreaking discovery of the first atmosphere surrounding an Earth-like, rocky planet located in the habitable zone of a distant star, known as LHS 1140 b, which is 48 light-years away. While the atmosphere contains helium, a gas that does not support life, this finding suggests that planets with conditions similar to Earth could exist beyond our solar system, as they may harbor other life-sustaining gases deeper in their atmospheres. The researchers published their findings in the journal Science, marking a significant step in our understanding of potential habitable worlds beyond our own.