【eroticism definiton】

The eroticism definitonJames Webb Space Telescopewill soon begin a massive study of rocky worldsoutside the solar system, specifically to discover if planets orbiting closely to small cool stars could have air. 

Scientists plan to start with LTT 1445 Ac and GJ 3929 b, and though those exoplanetsmight not be household names, they are tantalizing subjects, relatively near Earth in space. Each was discovered two years ago using NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite while conducting a survey of thousands of stars.

LTT 1445 Acis roughly the size of Earth and about 22 light-years away in the constellation Eridanus. The planet orbits the star LTT 1445 A, part of a trio of red dwarf stars. GJ 3929 bis slightly larger and heavier than Earth, located about 52 light-years away in the constellation Corona Borealis. 

---

You May Also Like

---

---

These two worlds are just the initial targetsof a campaign that will take a closer look at a dozen nearby-ish planets over the next two years. The program, first reported by Mashable, will budget about 500 hours for observation with the Webb telescope, along with about 250 orbits of ultraviolet observations with the Hubble Space Telescope to help characterize the host stars' activity. 

Mashable Light Speed Want more out-of-this world tech, space and science stories? Sign up for Mashable's weekly Light Speed newsletter. By clicking Sign Me Up, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Thanks for signing up!

SEE ALSO: Scientists haven't found a rocky exoplanet with air. But now they have a plan. In addition to Webb, the new survey will include about 250 orbits of ultraviolet observations by the Hubble Space Telescope. Credit: Adrian Mann / Stocktrek Images / Getty Images illustration

Jennifer Lotz, who oversees Webb and Hubble's operations at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, initiatedthe survey using the director's discretionary time, the same way revolutionary science campaigns like the Hubble deep field imagescame to fruition. 

Most astronomers agree that detecting atmospheresis crucial in the search for habitable worlds. NASA has playfully called Earth's own atmosphere its "security blanket": Without it, the type of life flourishing here wouldn't exist. This cocoon holds oxygen in the air and filters out harmful ultraviolet radiation from the sun, all while keeping our world warm. Furthermore, it creates pressure that allows liquid water to pool on the surface.

An artist imagines LTT 1445 Ac, an exoplanet about 22 light-years from Earth in a triple red dwarf star system. Credit: NASA / ESA / Leah Hustak illustration

Red dwarf stars, sometimes referred to as M-type stars, are the most common stars within the Milky Way, yet nobody knows whether planets orbiting them can hold onto atmospheres, said Néstor Espinoza, an astronomer heading the program's implementation.

---

Related Stories

---

• Scientists haven't found a rocky exoplanet with air. But now they have a plan.
• The strange new worlds scientists discovered in 2024
• Webb found its strongest case yet of a rocky exoplanet with an atmosphere
• Water worlds in the galaxy could be 100 times more common than once thought
• NASA's plan to return Martian rocks is in trouble. Could these 7 companies help?

There's a key difference between the first two survey targets and Earth: Both are so close to their stars, their years are only about three Earth-days long. That may not be a problem, given that their host stars aren't as hot as the sun, but could an atmosphere survive the constant barrage of this stellar radiation?

"This is one of those high-risk, high-reward programs," Espinoza told Mashable. "Imagine that for all of the targets, we detect atmospheres. Then you answer the question, 'Yes, atmospheres are very common around these stars. That means maybe life can emerge.' On the other hand, if you found out that none of them have atmospheres, that would be pretty sad, but also pretty interesting. It would mean that our planetary system is actually really, really special."

Topics NASA

• Tech
• Science
• Shopping
• Games
• Entertainment
• Life
• Deals
• Social Good

• 2025 Oscar winners: See the full list
• Here’s the YouTube video that inspired 'SNL' to make David S. Pumpkins
• Apple.com is all about the iPhone X right now
• NAACP issues travel advisory for American Airlines
• The 5 most inappropriate things Donald Trump said at a Puerto Rico disaster briefing
• The Dodgers just won the hottest World Series game in history
• Canada just banned Soylent, Silicon Valley's favorite meal replacement shake
• FBI calls smartphone encryption a 'huge problem'
• Best travel deal: Take 30% off Southwest flights
• iPhone Upgrade Program members can now be pre

• U.N. aims to make carbon emissions cost money at COP 25 climate talks
• NYT mini crossword answers for April 24, 2025
• Japan orders Google to stop alleged antitrust violations
• NYT Strands hints, answers for April 23
• Apple is reportedly still working on smart glasses of some kind
• FreeSync 2 Explained
• Best Sony deal: Save $100 on WH
• Shop the Shark FlexStyle for 20% off at Amazon
• 'The Last of Us' Season 2, episode 3's opening credits has a heartbreaking change
• 13 Good Games You Can Play on Laptops and Budget PCs

• Meta continues its submission to Trump with new advisor on its board
• Elizabeth Warren, Claire McCaskill share their #MeToo experiences
• Nintendo announces 'Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp' for mobile
• FYI: SNES Classics are hitting Toys R Us store shelves on Friday
• Best smartwatch deal: Save 44% on CMF Watch Pro for $38.90 at Amazon
• How one company started making more money from smartphones than Bentleys
• 'The Simpsons' Puerto Rico message gets a thank you from San Juan's mayor
• Facebook's auto translation AI fail leads to a nightmare for a Palestinian man
• President Trump says semiconductor tariffs are next
• Samsung and Apple are about to revisit their patent trial

• The 10 Biggest Changes of the Last 10 Years in Video Games
• What's coming to Hulu in November 2017
• Social media inflames violent hatred of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar
• A World Series guide for people who don't care about baseball
• The Made in America iPhone: How much would it cost?
• UberEats starts delivering McDonald's in Singapore, Malaysia next
• Western heat wave could lead to hottest World Series game on record
• SheEO has a plan to build a $1 billion fund for female founders
• TikTok wants me to host a dinner party. Is that an actual recession indicator?
• This store with nothing for sale wants to help you take control of your online privacy