Astronomers detect exoplanet in x-rays
Posted: Wed, Jul 31, 2013, 8:12 AM ET (1212 GMT)
Astronomers have detected an extrasolar planet for the first time using x-ray observations. Researchers used observations by NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory and ESA's XMM-Newton spacecraft to attempt to detect an exoplanet already known to orbit the star HD 189733, 63 light-years from the Earth, as the planet transited the star's disk. Astronomers not only confirmed the planet's presence in those x-ray observations, they say three times the dimming of the star in x-rays as in visible light, suggesting that the exoplanet's atmosphere may contain extended layers that are transparent to visible light but opaque to x-rays.
Astronomers have detected an extrasolar planet for the first time using x-ray observations. Researchers used observations by NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory and ESA's XMM-Newton spacecraft to attempt to detect an exoplanet already known to orbit the star HD 189733, 63 light-years from the Earth, as the planet transited the star's disk. Astronomers not only confirmed the planet's presence in those x-ray observations, they say three times the dimming of the star in x-rays as in visible light, suggesting that the exoplanet's atmosphere may contain extended layers that are transparent to visible light but opaque to x-rays.
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