Venus-like Exoplanet Might Have Oxygen Atmosphere, But Not Life

Originally shared by Pierre Markuse

Venus-like Exoplanet Might Have Oxygen Atmosphere, But Not Life

Gliese 1132 b (GJ 1132b, https://goo.gl/0dORgg) is an exoplanet orbiting the red dwarf star Gliese 1132, located about 39 light-years from Earth. Given its diameter of about 1.2 times the diameter of Earth and its mass of about 1.6 times the mass of Earth it is believed to be a rocky planet.

New research by the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA) suggests, that, even though the planet is orbiting its star at a distance of just 1.4 million miles, it could still support a thin atmosphere. While most of the hydrogen and oxygen would be lost to space some of the oxygen could remain, mostly bound to magma oceans. Next-generation telescopes like the Giant Magellan Telescope (https://goo.gl/HTCeKx) and James Webb Space Telescope (https://goo.gl/izbUH) may be able to detect this oxygen.

Read the full article here:
https://www.cfa.harvard.edu/news/2016-18

More on GJ 1132b:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gliese_1132_b

What is an exoplanet?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exoplanet

How do we detect exoplanets?

If you have seven minutes and would like an easy and interesting explanation of different techniques (Doppler Technique, Direct Imaging, Light Curves, Transit Timing Variations, Microlensing) to detect planets in other star systems take a look at this video:
https://youtu.be/zFPnOUSdMdc

Image credit: This artist's conception shows the rocky exoplanet GJ 1132b, located 39 light-years from Earth. New research shows that it might possess a thin, oxygen atmosphere - but no life due to its extreme heat. Dana Berry / Skyworks Digital / CfA https://goo.gl/vqKbXm

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#science   #astronomy   #astrophysics   #gliese1132b   #gj1132b   #atmosphere   #space  #exoplanet

First Detection of Super-Earth Atmosphere

Originally shared by Pierre Markuse

First Detection of Super-Earth Atmosphere

For the first time astronomers were able to analyse the atmosphere of an exoplanet in the class known as super-Earths (https://goo.gl/GgciDp). Using data gathered with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope and new analysis techniques, the exoplanet 55 Cancri e is revealed to have a dry atmosphere without any indications of water vapour. The results, to be published in the Astrophysical Journal, indicate that the atmosphere consists mainly of hydrogen and helium. The international team, led by scientists from University College London (UCL) in the UK, took observations of the nearby exoplanet 55 Cancri e (https://goo.gl/0eGhSW), a super-Earth with a mass of eight Earth-masses. It is located in the planetary system of 55 Cancri (https://goo.gl/iSkLVq), a star about 40 light-years from Earth.

Full story here:
http://www.spacetelescope.org/news/heic1603/

What is an exoplanet?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exoplanet

How do we detect exoplanets?

If you have seven minutes and would like an easy and interesting explanation of different techniques (Doppler Technique, Direct Imaging, Light Curves, Transit Timing Variations, Microlensing) to detect planets in other star systems take a look at this video:
https://youtu.be/zFPnOUSdMdc

Image credit: This artist’s impression shows the exoplanet 55 Cancri e as close-up. Due to its proximity to its parent star, the temperatures on the surface of the planet are thought to reach about 2000 degrees Celsius. ESA/Hubble, M. Kornmesser http://goo.gl/MbCm1U

#science   #astronomy   #hubble   #55Cancrie   #55Cancri  #space #exoplanet #atmosphere #superearth