An Illustration of the exoplanet LHS 475 b. Photo: NASA
An Illustration of the exoplanet LHS 475 b. Photo: NASA
An Illustration of the exoplanet LHS 475 b. Photo: NASA
An Illustration of the exoplanet LHS 475 b. Photo: NASA

James Webb telescope discovers Earth-like planet outside our solar system


Sarwat Nasir
  • English
  • Arabic

The James Webb Space Telescope has discovered an Earth-like exoplanet outside the solar system, helping to further unravel the mysteries of space.

Called LHS 475 b, the planet is almost exactly the same size as the Earth, matching 99 per cent of its diameter.

Researchers at the John Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory used the Webb telescope to capture the planet in wavelengths of light.

“These first observational results from an Earth-size, rocky planet open the door to many future possibilities for studying rocky planet atmospheres with Webb,” said Mark Clampin, astrophysics division director at Nasa headquarters in Washington.

“Webb is bringing us closer and closer to a new understanding of Earth-like worlds outside our solar system, and the mission is only just getting started.”

What do we know about celestial discovery?

The rocky planet orbits another star ― how the Earth orbits the Sun ― and is a few hundred degrees warmer than the Earth.

Researchers used Webb’s near-infrared spectrograph instrument to capture the planet.

However, they were not able to detect much about its atmosphere.

And if clouds are detected in the ongoing research, then it may be concluded that the planet is more similar to Venus than it is to Earth.

“The telescope is so sensitive that it can easily detect a range of molecules, but we can’t yet make any definitive conclusions about the planet’s atmosphere,” said Erin May of the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory.

A day on the planet is two Earth days long and its temperature is half that of the Sun, so researchers believe it could still have an atmosphere.

The Webb telescope was launched into space on Christmas Day of 2021 and began its science operations in 2022.

Since then, it has been beaming back images that are helping scientists better understand the mysteries of the universe.

The first image from the telescope was revealed by US President Joe Biden on July 11 last year. It showed the galaxy cluster SMACS 0723 as it was 4.6 billion years ago.

Strange Earth-like planets that lie beyond our solar system - in pictures

  • The landmark discovery of Trappist-1 set off a wave of excitement across the space community. It was the first time multiple Earth-sized planets were found in a habitable zone and were orbiting the same star – Trappist-1. Courtesy: Nasa
    The landmark discovery of Trappist-1 set off a wave of excitement across the space community. It was the first time multiple Earth-sized planets were found in a habitable zone and were orbiting the same star – Trappist-1. Courtesy: Nasa
  • All seven planets orbiting Trappist-1 are believed to be rocky and have potential for water on the surface. Courtesy: Nasa
    All seven planets orbiting Trappist-1 are believed to be rocky and have potential for water on the surface. Courtesy: Nasa
  • Located in a habitable zone, Kepler-22b was labelled by Nasa as ‘super Earth’. Researchers believe the planet, which is larger than Earth, could be another ocean world. However, because of the planet’s extreme tilt, the north and south poles would experience sunlight and darkness for half a year each. Courtesy: Nasa
    Located in a habitable zone, Kepler-22b was labelled by Nasa as ‘super Earth’. Researchers believe the planet, which is larger than Earth, could be another ocean world. However, because of the planet’s extreme tilt, the north and south poles would experience sunlight and darkness for half a year each. Courtesy: Nasa
  • Discovered in 2020, Toi 700 d is only 20 per cent larger than Earth and orbits an M Dwarf star – a cool and stable type of star that do not release killer stellar flares, or radiation. Located 100 million light years away from Earth, one year on the planet is 37.4 days. Courtesy: Nasa
    Discovered in 2020, Toi 700 d is only 20 per cent larger than Earth and orbits an M Dwarf star – a cool and stable type of star that do not release killer stellar flares, or radiation. Located 100 million light years away from Earth, one year on the planet is 37.4 days. Courtesy: Nasa
  • Discovered in 2011, KEPLER-20e is an Earth-size planet that orbits a sun-like star outside of the solar system. It is too close to its star to be in the habitable zone, so it cannot hold liquid water. However, the discovery was still groundbreaking because it was the first time small exoplanets were found to be orbiting around a star that was similar to the Sun. Courtesy: Nasa
    Discovered in 2011, KEPLER-20e is an Earth-size planet that orbits a sun-like star outside of the solar system. It is too close to its star to be in the habitable zone, so it cannot hold liquid water. However, the discovery was still groundbreaking because it was the first time small exoplanets were found to be orbiting around a star that was similar to the Sun. Courtesy: Nasa
  • Kepler-20f was discovered along with Kepler-20e. A year on the planet is19.6 days. Courtesy: Nasa
    Kepler-20f was discovered along with Kepler-20e. A year on the planet is19.6 days. Courtesy: Nasa
Wicked: For Good

Director: Jon M Chu

Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater

Rating: 4/5

LAST-16 EUROPA LEAGUE FIXTURES

Wednesday (Kick-offs UAE)

FC Copenhagen (0) v Istanbul Basaksehir (1) 8.55pm

Shakhtar Donetsk (2) v Wolfsburg (1) 8.55pm

Inter Milan v Getafe (one leg only) 11pm

Manchester United (5) v LASK (0) 11pm 

Thursday

Bayer Leverkusen (3) v Rangers (1) 8.55pm

Sevilla v Roma  (one leg only)  8.55pm

FC Basel (3) v Eintracht Frankfurt (0) 11pm 

Wolves (1) Olympiakos (1) 11pm 

WOMAN AND CHILD

Director: Saeed Roustaee

Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi

Rating: 4/5

Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode

Directors: Raj & DK

Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon

Rating: 4/5

Results

2pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 1,600m; Winner: AF Al Baher, Bernardo Pinheiro (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer).

2.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh100,000 1,600m; Winner: Talento Puma, Xavier Ziani, Salem bin Ghadayer.

3pm: Handicap (TB) Dh90,000 1,950m; Winner: Tailor’s Row, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer.

3.30pm: Jebel Ali Stakes Listed (TB) Dh500,000 1,950m; Winner: Mark Of Approval, Patrick Cosgrave, Mahmood Hussain.

4pm: Conditions (TB) Dh125,000 1,400m; Winner: Dead-heat Raakez, Jim Crowley, Nicholas Bachalard/Attribution, Xavier Ziani, Salem bin Ghadayer.

4.30pm: Jebel Ali Sprint (TB) Dh500,000 1,000m; Winner: AlKaraama, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi.

5pm: Handicap (TB) Dh100,000 1,200m; Winner: Wafy, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.

5.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh90,000 1,400m; Winner: Cachao, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar.

The Bio

Favourite vegetable: “I really like the taste of the beetroot, the potatoes and the eggplant we are producing.”

Holiday destination: “I like Paris very much, it’s a city very close to my heart.”

Book: “Das Kapital, by Karl Marx. I am not a communist, but there are a lot of lessons for the capitalist system, if you let it get out of control, and humanity.”

Musician: “I like very much Fairuz, the Lebanese singer, and the other is Umm Kulthum. Fairuz is for listening to in the morning, Umm Kulthum for the night.”

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FINAL RECKONING

Director: Christopher McQuarrie

Starring: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg

Rating: 4/5

First Person
Richard Flanagan
Chatto & Windus 

How has net migration to UK changed?

The figure was broadly flat immediately before the Covid-19 pandemic, standing at 216,000 in the year to June 2018 and 224,000 in the year to June 2019.

It then dropped to an estimated 111,000 in the year to June 2020 when restrictions introduced during the pandemic limited travel and movement.

The total rose to 254,000 in the year to June 2021, followed by steep jumps to 634,000 in the year to June 2022 and 906,000 in the year to June 2023.

The latest available figure of 728,000 for the 12 months to June 2024 suggests levels are starting to decrease.

Important questions to consider

1. Where on the plane does my pet travel?

There are different types of travel available for pets:

  • Manifest cargo
  • Excess luggage in the hold
  • Excess luggage in the cabin

Each option is safe. The feasibility of each option is based on the size and breed of your pet, the airline they are traveling on and country they are travelling to.

 

2. What is the difference between my pet traveling as manifest cargo or as excess luggage?

If traveling as manifest cargo, your pet is traveling in the front hold of the plane and can travel with or without you being on the same plane. The cost of your pets travel is based on volumetric weight, in other words, the size of their travel crate.

If traveling as excess luggage, your pet will be in the rear hold of the plane and must be traveling under the ticket of a human passenger. The cost of your pets travel is based on the actual (combined) weight of your pet in their crate.

 

3. What happens when my pet arrives in the country they are traveling to?

As soon as the flight arrives, your pet will be taken from the plane straight to the airport terminal.

If your pet is traveling as excess luggage, they will taken to the oversized luggage area in the arrival hall. Once you clear passport control, you will be able to collect them at the same time as your normal luggage. As you exit the airport via the ‘something to declare’ customs channel you will be asked to present your pets travel paperwork to the customs official and / or the vet on duty. 

If your pet is traveling as manifest cargo, they will be taken to the Animal Reception Centre. There, their documentation will be reviewed by the staff of the ARC to ensure all is in order. At the same time, relevant customs formalities will be completed by staff based at the arriving airport. 

 

4. How long does the travel paperwork and other travel preparations take?

This depends entirely on the location that your pet is traveling to. Your pet relocation compnay will provide you with an accurate timeline of how long the relevant preparations will take and at what point in the process the various steps must be taken.

In some cases they can get your pet ‘travel ready’ in a few days. In others it can be up to six months or more.

 

5. What vaccinations does my pet need to travel?

Regardless of where your pet is traveling, they will need certain vaccinations. The exact vaccinations they need are entirely dependent on the location they are traveling to. The one vaccination that is mandatory for every country your pet may travel to is a rabies vaccination.

Other vaccinations may also be necessary. These will be advised to you as relevant. In every situation, it is essential to keep your vaccinations current and to not miss a due date, even by one day. To do so could severely hinder your pets travel plans.

Source: Pawsome Pets UAE

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Duminy's Test career in numbers

Tests 46; Runs 2,103; Best 166; Average 32.85; 100s 6; 50s 8; Wickets 42; Best 4-47

Avatar: Fire and Ash

Director: James Cameron

Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana

Rating: 4.5/5

A timeline of the Historical Dictionary of the Arabic Language
  • 2018: Formal work begins
  • November 2021: First 17 volumes launched 
  • November 2022: Additional 19 volumes released
  • October 2023: Another 31 volumes released
  • November 2024: All 127 volumes completed
Updated: January 12, 2023, 12:22 PM