Scientists Detect Giant Exoplanet With A 'Glowing' Water Atmosphere

Scientists detected a giant exoplanet, WASP-121b, that presents a “glowing” water atmosphere.

Scientists detected a Jot Jupiter or a giant exoplanet similar to our own gas giant planet that presents a “glowing” water atmosphere. One that also offers the closest yet evidence of the presence of a stratosphere on an exoplanet.

This particular giant exoplanet was named WASP-121b and is part of the “Hot Jupiter” class. These are all Jupiter-like gas giant planets which are believed to be quite common across the galaxy but which are apparently missing in our own galaxy.

Just as the rest of the space bodies in this class, WASP-121b is both still quite a mystery but also probably insanely hot. So it is quite unlikely that such an exoplanet could be capable of holding or developing life forms.

However, it is presenting a stratosphere could come with significant implications for the rest of the space bodies in the Universe. This 900 light years distant giant exoplanet could be a step forward in determining the chemical and physical conditions making up an alien world.

Giant Exoplanet Has a “Glowing” Atmosphere

NASA Ames Research Centre scientists using the Hubble Space Telescope detected glowing water molecules in the atmosphere of WASP-121b. A spectroscopic analysis revealed that these water molecules were giving off infrared radiation. This happened as they were losing energy because of the heat increase in what must be the exoplanet’s stratosphere.

WASP-121b is estimated to register temperatures of around 4,600 degrees Fahrenheit in its upper atmosphere.

“This result is exciting because it shows that a common trait of most of the atmospheres in our Solar System – a warm stratosphere – also can be found in exoplanet atmospheres,” states Mark Marley, one of the study researchers.

He then continues by pointing out that scientists can now compare the atmospheric process registered on an exoplanet to those taking place, under different conditions, in our Solar System.

Future research will be looking to find out more about the mysterious Hot Jupiters. They will also be trying to precisely determine what chemicals in their atmosphere are absorbing so much starlight.

Current study results were published in the journal Nature.

Image Source: JPL/NASA

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Roxanne Briean

I am a geek, a gamer and a writer. I have always been fascinated with the online community. At the moment I work as a full-time writer and study interior design. When I'm not scouring the net in search of interesting new gadgets and software I spend my time in MOBAs or drawing.