No water found on two exoplanets
Posted: Thu, Feb 22, 2007, 8:52 AM ET (1352 GMT)
The first spectra of two extrasolar planets taken by NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope revealed, to the surprise of scientists, no sign of water in the atmospheres of two planets. Spitzer took infrared spectra of the exoplanets HD 189733b and HD 209458b, two "hot Jupiters" so named because they are Jupiter-sized gas giants that orbit very close to their stars. Scientists had expected that the planets would have significant amounts of water vapor in their atmospheres, but none was detected by Spitzer. In addition, the data indicated that one of the planets, HD 209458b, might have unusual clouds of silicate particles in its upper atmosphere. Those clouds might be obscuring the presence of water, scientists said. Scientists called this research a "dress rehearsal" for future efforts to look for evidence of life on other planets.
The first spectra of two extrasolar planets taken by NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope revealed, to the surprise of scientists, no sign of water in the atmospheres of two planets. Spitzer took infrared spectra of the exoplanets HD 189733b and HD 209458b, two "hot Jupiters" so named because they are Jupiter-sized gas giants that orbit very close to their stars. Scientists had expected that the planets would have significant amounts of water vapor in their atmospheres, but none was detected by Spitzer. In addition, the data indicated that one of the planets, HD 209458b, might have unusual clouds of silicate particles in its upper atmosphere. Those clouds might be obscuring the presence of water, scientists said. Scientists called this research a "dress rehearsal" for future efforts to look for evidence of life on other planets.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
|
|
news links
|
|
Thursday, August 27
ESA selects PLD Space to develop the next generation of private European launchers
PLD Space — 6:52 am ET (1052 GMT) Isar Aerospace signs contract with ESA under the European Launcher Challenge
Isar Aerospace — 6:51 am ET (1051 GMT) NBN Co’s Starlink rival delayed until mid 2027
WhistleOut — 6:50 am ET (1050 GMT) SpaceX Launches Falcon 9 Rocket Carrying Starlink Satellites From Vandenberg
Santa Barbara (CA) Edhat — 6:43 am ET (1043 GMT) Louisiana governor ‘not concerned’ about environmental impact of Gulf Coast SpaceX facility
The Hill — 6:41 am ET (1041 GMT) |
