X-rays and Exoplanet Habitability

Produced by the Space Telescope Science Institute’s Office of Public Outreach in collaboration with NASA’s Universe of Learning partners: Caltech/IPAC, Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian, and NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Video imagery:

·       Artist’s concept of star with exoplanet: NASA/CXC/M.Weiss

·       Animation of nearby star map: Cal Poly Pomona/B. Binder

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Animation of the universe. Nebulas glow and star systems surround the top of Jupiter. Text: News From the Universe. 

 

An illustration of a planet next to a large star glowing a warm yellow. 

 

Text: Artist's concept. 

 

X-Rays and Exoplanet Habitability. 

 

June 21, 2024. 

 

Could nearby stars host habitable planets? It may depend on how much high-energy radiation those planets receive from their stars. 

 

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NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory and E-S-A's X-M-M-Newton telescope are studying the X-rays put out by nearby stars to determine where future missions should focus in searching for planets that may be suitable for life. 

 

We pull back from the star, revealing it has dark spots around the top pole. 

 

On a map, three white circles surround a star. Yellow, red, and white dots move around the map. Blue haloes are near the center star. 

 

Text: In this map 3D of nearby stars, blue haloes represent stars that could host habitable planets, based on the milder X-ray environments they're creating. 

 

If X-rays from a star are too strong, a planet's protective atmosphere can be stripped away, making liquid water and life as we know it impossible. 

 

We return to the illustration of the planet and large yellow star. 

 

Text: This news was brought to you in part by the Chandra X-Ray Center in Cambridge, MA.