Future ELT telescope will reveal the atmospheres of sub-Neptune planets V1298 Tau b and TOI-451 c

Star system: V1298 Tauri A | Distance from the Sun: 352 light years

This study explores the capabilities of the upcoming Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) and its ANDES instrument in analyzing the atmospheres of young, distant planets similar to Neptune but smaller. By simulating observations of the exoplanets V1298 Tau b and TOI-451 c, researchers demonstrated that we will soon be able to detect water, hydrogen sulfide, and carbon monoxide on these worlds.

The research highlights that by carefully comparing data from when a planet is passing in front of its star versus when it is not, we can accurately measure its chemical makeup and orbital movements. This marks a major step forward in understanding how planetary systems, including those with sub-Neptune sized planets not found in our own solar system, evolve over time.

Scientific study

Probing the Atmospheres of Young Long-Period Sub-Neptune Progenitors with ELT/ANDES (external link)