The James Webb Space Telescope has discovered that the rocky exoplanet TRAPPIST-1b, which orbits a star known as TRAPPIST-1, has no atmosphere.
While this kills the possibility of life on this particular planet, the TRAPPIST-1 star system has six more Earth-like exoplanets that could potentially harbour conditions for life.
Scientists used the telescope's Mid-Infrared Instrument to measure the temperature of TRAPPIST-1b, the closest planet to its parent star in terms of orbit, which is 1.4 times as large as our Earth.
This finding represents the first time that Webb has detected any form of light emitted by a rocky exoplanet.
The temperature measurement of 230 degrees Celsius (446 F) suggests that the planet most probably doesn't have an atmosphere.
Despite this discovery, the observation is considered a significant feat for the telescope.
The TRAPPIST-1 star system was first discovered in 2017 and has since garnered much attention from the scientific community.
The discovery of exoplanets outside of our solar system is a crucial step in the search for extraterrestrial life.
Webb is set to be launched in October 2021 and will become the most powerful space telescope ever launched
It is a joint project of NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA), and the Canadian Space Agency.
Webb's mission is to study the first galaxies that formed after the Big Bang, as well as the atmospheres of exoplanets.