A Sunny Outlook for 'Weather' on Exoplanets

Spitzer_ssc2014-07b1_1024

spitzer_ssc2014-07b1 September 24th, 2014

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/R. Hurt (IPAC)

Scientists were excited to discover clear skies on a relatively small planet, about the size of Neptune, using the combined power of NASA's Hubble, Spitzer and Kepler space telescopes. Before now, all of the planets observed in this size range had been found to have high cloud layers that blocked the ability to detect molecules in the planet's atmosphere.

The clear planet, called HAT-P-11b, is gaseous with a rocky core, much like our own Neptune. Its atmosphere may have clouds deeper down, but the new observations show that the upper region is cloud-free. This good visibility enabled scientists to detect water vapor molecules in the planet's atmosphere.

Provider: Spitzer Space Telescope

Image Source: http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/images/5959-ssc2014-07b1-A-Sunny-Outlook-for-Weather-on-Exoplanets

Curator: Spitzer Space Telescope, Pasadena, CA, USA

Image Use Policy: http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/info/18-Image-Use-Policy

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Image Details

Image Type
Artwork
Subject - Milky Way
Planet > Type > Gas Giant
Planet > Special Cases > Transiting
Spitzer_ssc2014-07b1_1280
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ID
ssc2014-07b1
Subject Category
b.1.1.2   b.1.3.1  
Subject Name
Credits
NASA/JPL-Caltech/R. Hurt (IPAC)
Type
Artwork
Image Quality
Good
Distance Notes
Facility
Instrument
Color Assignment
Band
Bandpass
Central Wavelength
Start Time
Integration Time
Dataset ID
Notes
Coordinate Frame
Equinox
Reference Value
Reference Dimension
Reference Pixel
Scale
Rotation
Coordinate System Projection:
Quality
FITS Header
Notes
Creator (Curator)
Spitzer Space Telescope
URL
http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu
Name
Email
Telephone
Address
1200 E. California Blvd.
City
Pasadena
State/Province
CA
Postal Code
91125
Country
USA
Rights
http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/info/18-Image-Use-Policy
Publisher
Spitzer Science Center
Publisher ID
spitzer
Resource ID
ssc2014-07b1.tif
Metadata Date
2017-03-13
Metadata Version
1.2
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