Summary of What Makes the Exoplanets of Trappist-1 So Special?

00:00:00 - 00:10:00

The planets in the Trappist-1 system are all potentially habitable and are very similar to Earth. The host star is a red dwarf, which is not very active, and if the planets have strong magnetic fields, they could deflect a lot of the solar wind. The video ends with a discussion of how to gift a subscription of Brilliant.org to friends or family.

• 00:00:00 The Trappist-1 system contains seven Earth-sized planets in a close orbit around a small, cool red dwarf star. Of these, six are in a "goldilocks zone" where water might pool on the planet's surface, and the planet's atmosphere is likely rich in CO2. Although it is unlikely that any of the planets would be hospitable to life as we know it, the system is an interesting candidate to study in greater detail with future technology.
• 00:05:00 The planets in the Trappist-1 system are very similar to Earth in terms of size, mass, and gravity. They are in the "goldilocks" zone, meaning their temperatures are now cool enough for water to pool on the surface. Next is Trappist-1d, which is kind of like a mix between Earth and Mars. It is found on the inner part of the goldilocks zone, meaning at this point in the solar system the surface temperature is now cool enough for water to pool on the surface. Finally, Trappist-1g is slightly bigger than Earth and orbits at a distance of 7 million km from the star.
• 00:10:00 The video discusses the planets found in the Trappist-1 system, which are all potentially habitable. The host star is a red dwarf, which is not very active, and if the planets have strong magnetic fields, they could deflect a lot of the solar wind. They are also all roughly Earth sized, with similar gravities and densities, not a huge factor for life, but we know it worked here. The video ends with a discussion of how to gift a subscription of Brilliant.org to friends or family.