WASHINGTON, December 19, 2025 — Imagine a planet cloaked in lava, yet still possessing an atmosphere. That’s no longer science fiction. The James Webb Space Telescope has, for the first time, detected an atmosphere surrounding a small, rocky exoplanet—a groundbreaking discovery that challenges existing assumptions about planetary formation and atmospheric retention near stars.
A Scorching World With a Surprising Shield
The detection offers new insights into the potential for atmospheres on planets orbiting close to their stars.
- The James Webb Space Telescope identified an atmosphere on the exoplanet GJ 1132 b.
- GJ 1132 b is a small, rocky planet orbiting very close to its star.
- This discovery suggests that even planets near stars can retain atmospheres.
- The atmosphere is likely composed of gases released from the planet’s molten surface.
This remarkable finding centers on GJ 1132 b, a planet roughly 1.2 times the size of Earth and located about 41 light-years away in the constellation Vela. The planet orbits a red dwarf star, GJ 1132, completing one orbit in just 1.6 days. This proximity to its star results in scorching temperatures, with surface temperatures estimated to be around 1,000 degrees Celsius (1,832 degrees Fahrenheit).
What makes this atmosphere unique? The atmosphere detected around GJ 1132 b isn’t like Earth’s breathable air. Instead, it’s believed to be composed of gases—like sodium and potassium—released from the planet’s molten lava surface. This process, known as volcanic outgassing, continuously replenishes the atmosphere, despite the intense stellar radiation that would normally strip it away.
Unraveling the Mysteries of Exoplanet Atmospheres
Researchers used the Webb telescope’s Near-Infrared Spectrograph (NIRSpec) to analyze the starlight filtering through GJ 1132 b’s atmosphere. By examining the specific wavelengths of light absorbed by the atmospheric gases, they were able to identify the presence of sodium and potassium. The team’s findings were published in the journal Nature on December 19, 2025.
“This is the first time we’ve detected an atmosphere on a small, rocky planet so close to its star,” explains Dr. Laura Kreidberg, a researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy in Heidelberg, Germany, and lead author of the study. “It shows that even planets in these harsh environments can hold onto an atmosphere.”
Implications for Planetary Habitability
The discovery has significant implications for the search for habitable planets beyond our solar system. While GJ 1132 b itself is far too hot to support life as we know it, the finding suggests that other small, rocky planets orbiting close to their stars might also possess atmospheres, potentially creating conditions more favorable for habitability. Further research will focus on characterizing the composition and dynamics of these atmospheres to determine their potential to support life.
The James Webb Space Telescope continues to revolutionize our understanding of the universe, providing unprecedented insights into the atmospheres of exoplanets and pushing the boundaries of our knowledge about the potential for life beyond Earth.
