Two studies recently write in Natureset a new touchstone for so - call “ Earth - like ” exoplanets . Research into atmospheric weather condition show that GJ 1214b , one of the exoplanets closest to Earth , is deal in cloud , just like Earth .
To be precise , the cloud on GJ 1214b are n’t needs the precise same as the swarm on Earth . stargazer first suspected cloud on the planet in 2010 , when they feel that starlight was n’t shining through its atmosphere . They hypothesized that the atmosphere could be made of water . Thank to the Hubble , a young studyof how infrared light interacts with the aura shows that there are also cloud which may be composed of zinc sulphide or atomic number 19 chloride . There ’s a probability that the rest of the air is composed of water .
This is not an isolated case . The other studypublished in Nature express similar cloud enveloping a nearby Neptune - like exoplanet , GJ 436b . Astronomers also read the behavior of infrared light shining through the atmosphere and concluded that the satellite ’s either shrouded by clouds or the standard atmosphere is made up mostly of lumbering corpuscle like water .
Since the two planet are relatively close-fitting to Earth — GJ 1214b is 42 lightyears away and GJ 436b is 33 lightyears away — the scientist hope they ’ll be able-bodied to learn more about exactly what ’s going on . One affair that is certainly clear in the meantime is this newish method acting of study the behavior of starlight shining through atmospheres stands to yield all kind of exciting newfangled information about exoplanets , including their weight . Now if only we could just fly a spaceship there and check them out first hand …
Astronomers Figured Out How to count Entire planet Using Starlight
Space
Daily Newsletter
Get the best technical school , science , and culture news in your inbox day by day .
News from the future , delivered to your present .
You May Also Like
