Recent research has shown that a mysterious planet that has long been of concern to scientists.
Hitekno.com – The planet GJ 1214 b, located 40 light years from Earth, is an exoplanet that is larger than our Earth, but smaller than Neptune. The planet was first discovered in 2009, and scientists have been eager to study it, but a thick layer of fog prevented the Hubble Space Telescope from doing so.
Recent research has shown that a mysterious planet that has long concerned scientists, but which is hidden from the view of telescopes due to thick fog, may contain water vapor. Although too hot to live in, exoplanet GJ 1214 b has an atmosphere that may also contain methane, according to findings published in the journal Nature.
Reported from Sputnik Newsa research team led by scientists from the University of Maryland and the University of Chicago used NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), which can see in the mid-infrared spectrum, as they began research to investigate GJ 1214 b.
Astronomers have tried to do this before using the Hubble Space Telescope, but have failed. Now, JWST’s advanced Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) is providing a glimpse into the composition of this exoplanet’s atmosphere and temperature. The observations were made as the planet orbited its star, with a “heat map” forming, showing the day and night sides of this mini-Neptune.
“We detected features consistent with the presence of water vapor and possibly methane. We also found that this dense fog is highly reflective… making the planet colder than we expected,” said Dr. Michael Roman of the University of Leicester School of Physics and Astronomy.
This is the first time the light emitted by this category of “sub-Neptunian” planets – apparently the most common in the Milky Way galaxy – has been directly detected.
“The ability to obtain a full orbit is critical to understanding how heat is distributed by a planet from the day side to the night side… There are many differences between day and night. The night side is cooler,” said Eliza Kempton, a researcher at the University of Maryland and lead author. the paper.
This temperature difference is seen as evidence for the presence of heavy molecules, such as H2O (water) and CH4 (methane). Scientists emphasize that water and methane are very important as clues to the evolution of this planet.
“We now have a better understanding of its atmosphere, but its precise composition is still very uncertain. We hope to use JWST-MIRI for follow-up observations soon. Our hope is to be able to more precisely measure the planet’s atmosphere and better determine the composition of a different world. this mysterious cloud covered in mist,” said Dr. Michael Roman.
2023-05-17 13:05:00
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