A super Earth planet located in a nearby solar system has been discovered with a thick atmosphere composed of carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide. Known as 55 Cancri e, this exoplanet is twice the size of Earth and one of the few rocky planets outside our solar system with a significant atmosphere. While the exact composition of the atmosphere remains unclear, Earth’s atmosphere is made up of nitrogen, oxygen, argon, and other gases.

The discovery of an atmosphere around 55 Cancri e provides strong evidence supporting the existence of an atmosphere on this planet, according to Ian Crossfield, an astronomer at the University of Kansas who studies exoplanets. The research was published in the journal Nature.

Super Earth planets are larger than Earth but smaller than Neptune. 55 Cancri e has boiling temperatures reaching as high as 4,200 degrees Fahrenheit, making it unlikely to host life. However, scientists believe this discovery is a promising indication that other rocky planets with thick atmospheres may exist and could potentially be more habitable.

Located 41 light years away from Earth, 55 Cancri e orbits its star closely resulting in permanent day and night sides. Researchers used the Webb Space Telescope to study its atmosphere by observing changes in temperature as it passed behind its star. Evidence suggests that the planet’s heat is distributed more evenly across its surface due to its thick atmosphere- a characteristic typical of atmospheres.

It is believed that gases from its magma oceans play a role in maintaining its thick atmosphere. Scientists hope that studying this super Earth will provide insights into the early evolution of planets like Earth and Mars which may have initially had magma oceans that have since cooled. Renyu Hu, a planetary scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory involved in the research views this as a unique opportunity to explore the early phases of planet evolution.