Exoplanet GJ 9827d (artist’s concept)

This is an artist’s conception of the exoplanet GJ 9827d, the smallest exoplanet where water vapour has been detected in its atmosphere. The planet could be an example of potential planets with water-rich atmospheres elsewhere in our galaxy. It is a rocky world, only about twice Earth’s diameter. It orbits the red dwarf star GJ 9827. Two inner planets in the system are on the left. The background stars are plotted as they would be seen to the unaided eye looking back toward our Sun, which itself is too faint to be seen. The blue star at upper right is Regulus, the yellow star at bottom centre is Denebola, and the blue star at bottom right is Spica. The constellation Leo is on the left, and Virgo is on the right. Both constellations are distorted from our Earth-bound view from 97 light-years away.

[Image description: Occupying the upper half of this illustration is a foreground exoplanet, partly in shadow, with subtle blue and white atmospheric features along the crescent closest to the star. The planet appears above a red dwarf star, which is represented by a smaller reddish-white, mottled globe at the bottom left. Two other planets in this system are to the left and right of the red dwarf star. The planet to the star’s left is tiny, appears fully lit, and is closest to the star. The second planet is slightly larger, but appears farther away, about midway between the star and the foreground exoplanet. It is in shadow, with only the crescent facing the star bathed in light.]