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LHS 1140 b: The First Rocky Planet with Atmosphere in Habitable Zone

By Jonathan Bala July 20, 2026 5 min read 109 views
L1 LHS 1140 b: The First Rocky Planet with Atmosphere in Habitable Zone
LHS 1140 b: The First Rocky Planet with Atmosphere in Habitable Zone
TL;DR

The discovery of LHS 1140 b marks a monumental leap in our search for life beyond Earth. This rocky planet, located 48 light years away, is the first confirmed rocky exoplanet with a substantial atmosphere in the habitable zone of its star. Unlike previous exoplanet discoveries, LHS 1140 b shows us that small, rocky worlds can maintain their atmospheres even around active red dwarf stars, opening new possibilities for finding planets that could support life as we know it.