What fundamental environmental characteristic defines planets in the TRAPPIST-1 system?
Answer
They are tidally locked to the ultracool dwarf star
The planets in the TRAPPIST-1 system, which orbit an ultracool dwarf star, are situated so closely to their host that they have become gravitationally locked, or tidally locked. This means one hemisphere perpetually faces the star, enduring constant daylight and extreme heat, while the opposite hemisphere remains in perpetual darkness and intense cold. This locking mechanism creates severe temperature gradients across the planet, confining potential zones for stable liquid water to the twilight band, known as the terminator zone.
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