Discovered in 2017 exoplanet LHS-1140b has always intrigued scientists. Now, new research reveals it might be even more promising for supporting life and a lot weirder than we thought. This alien world shows signs of being an ‘eyeball’ planet, featuring a global ocean capped in ice with a single, iris-like region facing its host star.
“Of all currently known temperate exoplanets, LHS-1140b could well be our best bet to one day indirectly confirm liquid water on the surface of an alien world beyond our Solar System,” says astrophysicist Charles Cadieux of the University of Montreal. “This would be a major milestone in the search for potentially habitable exoplanets.”
What Makes LHS-1140b Special?
Size and Mass: LHS-1140b has a radius 1.73 times that of Earth and a mass 5.6 times greater, making it a bit bigger than our planet but still small enough to be considered rocky.
It orbits a cool, dim red dwarf star, completing an entire orbit in just 25 days. This places it in the habitable zone, where conditions might allow liquid water to exist. The exoplanet is likely tidally locked, meaning the same side always faces its star, similar to how the Moon always shows the same face to Earth.
To understand more about LHS-1140b’s potential for life, researchers used the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) to analyze its atmosphere. The planet is close enough, just under 50 light-years away, to collect detailed information. They found signs of nitrogen, the dominant ingredient in Earth’s atmosphere, suggesting a secondary atmosphere formed after the planet’s birth.
Calculations of LHS-1140b’s density show it’s not dense enough to be purely rock. It’s either a mini-Neptune or an ocean-covered water world. Given the evidence, the latter seems more likely. This means the planet could have a global ocean, with the side facing away from the star frozen over, and only a patch directly facing the star warm enough for liquid water.
This unique configuration makes LHS-1140b look like a creepy eyeball hovering in space. The warm patch could reach around 20°C (68°F), warm enough for a thriving marine ecosystem.
What’s Next?
Scientists need more observing time to confirm the presence of an atmosphere and detect other gases like carbon dioxide. If further research confirms these findings, LHS-1140b could be the most promising candidate we have for an exotic alien ecosystem outside of our Solar System.
“Detecting an Earth-like atmosphere on a temperate planet is pushing Webb’s capabilities to its limits – it’s feasible; we just need lots of observing time,” says physicist René Doyon of the University of Montreal. “The current hint of a nitrogen-rich atmosphere begs for confirmation with more data.”
The research has been accepted into The Astrophysical Journal Letters and is available on arXiv. This discovery marks a significant step forward in the quest to find habitable worlds beyond our own.
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