Frequent flares from TRAPPIST-1 could impact habitability of nearby planets

Frequent flares from TRAPPIST-1 could impact habitability of nearby planets

Like a toddler right before naptime, TRAPPIST-1 is a small yet moody star. This little star, which sits in the constellation Aquarius about 40 light-years from Earth, spits out bursts of energy known as "flares" about six times a day.

TRAPPIST-1’s solar flares could reshape the search for habitable planets

TRAPPIST-1 looks small and calm from Earth. Up close, it is anything but. The cool red star about 40 light-years away erupts with bursts of energy many times each day, sending radiation racing across a tight family of seven rocky worlds. Three of those planets circle in the narrow zone where liquid water could exist. That promise keeps astronomers staring. The trouble is the star itself. TRAPPIST-1 is a noisy neighbor. Its flares wash over the p…