Caption

This artist’s concept shows an M dwarf star, also called a red dwarf star, and a planet. Most rocky planets in the Milky Way galaxy orbit red dwarf stars, which are smaller and cooler than the Sun, but can be much more active, bombarding nearby planets with high-energy X-rays and ultraviolet light.

The Rocky Worlds Director’s Discretionary program, a combined effort by NASA’s Webb and Hubble Space Telescopes, is underway to explore whether rocky planets can maintain atmospheres in this environment.

The team recently completed observations of the first target, Earth-sized rocky planet GJ 3929 b and its star GJ 3929.