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
|
|
Friday, May 29
Firefly Aerospace Announces Pricing of Public Offering of Common Stock
Firefly Aerospace — 3:56 am ET (0756 GMT) Boots on the moon: Report urges Space Force deployment to counter China
Washington Times — 3:53 am ET (0753 GMT) Draft NDAA would dissolve Space Development Agency, Rapid Capabilities Office
Defensescoop — 3:53 am ET (0753 GMT) SDA Being Absorbed Into Space Force’s New PAE Plan
Aviation Week — 3:52 am ET (0752 GMT) Blue Origin New Glenn rocket explodes on launch pad in Florida
CBS — 3:51 am ET (0751 GMT) |
