'Warm Neptune' Exoplanet Atmosphere Consists Of Hydrogen, Helium, Water Vapor

Scientists are studying water vapor in the atmosphere of an exoplanet discovered in 2011, dubbed HAT-P-26b. NASA reports that combined observations from the Hubble and Spitzer space telescopes reveal this planet ― more than 430 light-years from Earth ― has an atmosphere of hydrogen and helium. Orbiting a sun that’s twice as old as our own, HAT-P-26b is approximately the same size as one of our solar system’s outer planets, Neptune, which also has a hydrogen-helium atmosphere. HAT-P-26b is considered a “Warm Neptune” because it orbits its sun more closely than our own Neptune does. According to NASA, “HAT-P-26b’s atmosphere is relatively clear of clouds and has a strong water signature, although the planet is not a water world. This is the best measurement of water to date on an exoplanet of this size.” At the University of Exeter in the U.K., astrophysics professor David Sing is a co-leader of the HAT-P-26b research team, and co-author of a study published May 11 in the journal Science. “This ‘Warm Neptune’ is a much smaller planet than those we have been able to characterize in depth, so this new discovery about its atmosphere feels like a big breakthrough in our pursuit to learn more about how solar systems are formed, and how it compares to our own,” Sing explained in a University of Exeter statement. The following video demonstrates how astronomers discover exoplanets using the transit method....
Source: Science - The Huffington Post - Category: Science Source Type: news