Astronomers have meticulously scrutinized one of the youngest known exoplanets and found that it is facing unrelenting harsh conditions. This sizeable young planet, TOI 1227b, is comparable in size to Jupiter but significantly lighter, resembling an inflated version of Neptune, situated around 330 light-years from Earth. However, this remote planet is not likely to sustain its size for much longer, as the star that birthed it is bombarding it with X-rays, leading to its expansion and dissipation. The powerful radiation appears to be eroding the planet’s atmosphere at a staggering rate of no less than 1 trillion grams per second, according to a recent study employing NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory. This is comparable to an entire Earth disappearing into the cosmos every two centuries. The results, accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal, offer a rare insight into the initial phases of planetary formation and their development amid the violent forces exerted by their stars. The atmosphere of this planet simply cannot withstand such an onslaught, stated Attila Varga, a doctoral candidate at the Rochester Institute of Technology in New York. “It’s nearly impossible to fathom what is taking place with this planet,” said Varga, who spearheaded the research, in a statement.

NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory investigated the radiation from a red dwarf star impacting a young exoplanet. The number of confirmed exoplanets — planets that do not revolve around the sun — has exceeded 5,900, as reported by NASA, with thousands more candidates under examination. Red dwarf stars, also recognized as M-type stars, are the most prevalent stars in the Milky Way, yet it remains unclear whether planets orbiting them can maintain atmospheres. TOI 1227b, merely 8 million years old, is one such planet orbiting this star type. Most astronomers concur that detecting atmospheres is essential in the quest for habitable worlds. NASA has whimsically described Earth’s atmosphere as its “security blanket”: Without it, the variety of life flourishing here would not persist. This cocoon retains oxygen in the atmosphere and blocks harmful ultraviolet radiation from the sun while keeping our planet warm. Moreover, it creates the pressure necessary for liquid water to gather on the surface.

The James Webb Space Telescope, a partnership between NASA and its European and Canadian counterparts, is undertaking an extensive study of rocky planets beyond the solar system, particularly to assess whether worlds orbiting near cool red dwarf stars might possess atmospheres. The initiative, initially reported by Mashable, will concentrate on a dozen nearby exoplanets. New observations of TOI 1227b have indicated that its star is effectively boiling off the planet’s infant atmosphere. It is so near to its star — closer than Mercury is to the sun — that it is subjected to constant radiation. Based on simulations, researchers project that the planet could shed over 10 percent of its overall mass in the next billion years. That resembles the loss of material equivalent to two Earths, taken away by the stellar wind, potentially reducing it to a super-Earth. This phenomenon might help clarify why astronomers have observed a marked scarcity of midsize planets, ranging from 1.5 to two times Earth’s size. Some planets in this category may have lost their atmospheres due to radiation.

“A vital aspect of comprehending planets outside our solar system is accounting for high-energy radiation like X-rays that they receive,” stated co-author Joel Kastner in a statement. “We believe this planet is puffed up, or inflated, largely because of the continuous bombardment of X-rays from the star.” For TOI 1227b, the outlook appears grim. The planet is likely too scorched and battered to ever support life. As the onslaught from its star persists, this world is increasingly at risk of becoming a desolate rock. Future Webb telescope investigations may illuminate what exactly constitutes TOI 1227b’s atmosphere before it is obliterated.