Exotic Atmospheres

Spitzer_feature09-12a_1024

spitzer_feature09-12a October 20th, 2009

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/T. Pyle (SSC)

The basic chemistry for life has been detected in a second hot gas planet, HD 209458b, depicted in this artist's concept. Two of NASA's Great Observatories - the Hubble Space Telescope and Spitzer Space Telescope, yielded spectral observations that revealed molecules of carbon dioxide, methane and water vapor in the planet's atmosphere. HD 209458b, bigger than Jupiter, occupies a tight, 3.5-day orbit around a sun-like star about 150 light years away in the constellation Pegasus. Planets like this one, which circle stars beyond our sun, are called exoplanets.

The new finding follows the detection of these same organic molecules in the atmosphere of another hot, giant planet, called HD 189733b, by astronomers using Hubble and Spitzer data. Astronomers can now begin comparing the chemistry and dynamics of these two planets, and search for similar measurements of other candidate exoplanets, advancing toward the goal of being able to characterize planets where life could exist.

Neither of the two planets studied is habitable, but they display the same molecules that, if found around a rocky planet in the future, could potentially indicate the presence of life.

The new findings pave the way for future work that will help astronomers shortlist any promising rocky Earth-like planets where the signatures of organic chemicals might indicate the presence of life.

Provider: Spitzer Space Telescope

Image Source: http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/images/2777-feature09-12a-Exotic-Atmospheres

Curator: Spitzer Space Telescope, Pasadena, CA, USA

Image Use Policy: Public Domain

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Image Details

Image Type
Artwork
Subject - General
Planet > Type > Gas Giant
Planet > Feature > Atmosphere
Planet > Special Cases > Transiting
Planet > Special Cases > Hot Jupiter
Spitzer_feature09-12a_1280
×
ID
feature09-12a
Subject Category
E.1.1.2   E.1.2.2   E.1.3.1   E.1.3.2  
Subject Name
Credits
NASA/JPL-Caltech/T. Pyle (SSC)
Release Date
2009-10-20
Lightyears
Redshift
Reference Url
http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/images/2777-feature09-12a-Exotic-Atmospheres
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
Spitzer Space Telescope
Email
Telephone
Address
1200 E. California Blvd.
City
Pasadena
State/Province
CA
Postal Code
91125
Country
USA
Rights
Public Domain
Publisher
Spitzer Science Center
Publisher ID
spitzer
Resource ID
feature09-12a.tif
Metadata Date
2011-09-02
Metadata Version
1.1
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