First Sunset Outside Our Solar System Glimpsed

First Sunset Outside Our Solar System Glimpsed

www.foxnews.com

Traces of a distant extrasolar planet's hazy red sunset have been detected for the first time.

Astronomers pointed the Hubble Space Telescope at HD 189733b, a gaseous Jupiter-like world about 63 light-years from Earth, as it passed in front of its parent star to catch a glimpse of the planet's atmosphere.

Previous observations have not revealed much about the planet's atmosphere, other than that it has clouds.

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Hubble photographed a Jupitor like planet passing accross it sun 63 light years from earth. An atmosphere was apparent around the planet. It was expected to analyse out as sodium, potasium and water in the red haze but rather it was iron silicate and aluminum oxide. This is similar to the atmosphere of Venus and Saturn's moon Titan which both have very thick atmospheres.

One of the long term goals of Hubble is to analyse the atmosphere of an earth size extra solar system planet. To do so they have to catch such a planet eclipsing its sun as viewed by Hubble... a rare occurance!

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Each time we gain knowledge, we increase the chances that man will survive.

Great post. I like good news before I go to bed.

reply to post by NGC2736

I like good news before I go to bed.

Hi NG,
The best news will be when we here that Hubble has photographed an earth sized planet if front of its sun and they find an atmosphere with oxygen, nitrogen and water! I wonder how long that will be?

Originally posted by plumranch
Hi NG,
The best news will be when we here that Hubble has photographed an earth sized planet if front of its sun and they find an atmosphere with oxygen, nitrogen and water! I wonder how long that will be?

Even better would be if they also detect methane along with the other gases you mention because it would be a signature that life may exist there, too. Or more interesting still, if they can detect the NOx gases that make up our pollution. Now that would really open some eyes.

reply to post by centurion1211

Hi Cent, You have me thinking. Wonder what the capability of the spectrophotometers on Hubble are? Can it detect a broad range of atmospheric materials? Hubble slitless spectroscopy

This thread is useless without a picture of the event. And the picture from the link is not the 'real' or actual event, just in case someone thought otherwise.

reply to post by centurion1211


Why does the atmosphere have to be so similar to ours just to harbor life? I'm still clinging to the idea that we are barking up the wrong tree in search of life. I think it's time we stop looking at the way we were designed and keep our minds open to the possibility that life can be created from other conditions than our own.

We are one planet in a vast universe. I see no reason to believe that the only way life can exist out there has to be on a planet exactly like ours.

On topic. That is great news. I think now that we've seen so many extrasolar planets, it's time to start working on a method of travel that will get us outside of the solar system instead of to the moon or Mars.

Originally posted by Mekanic
reply to post by centurion1211

 

Why does the atmosphere have to be so similar to ours just to harbor life? I'm still clinging to the idea that we are barking up the wrong tree in search of life. I think it's time we stop looking at the way we were designed and keep our minds open to the possibility that life can be created from other conditions than our own.

We are one planet in a vast universe. I see no reason to believe that the only way life can exist out there has to be on a planet exactly like ours.

Of course a planet's atmosphere wouldn't have to be exactly like earth's to harbor life. However, the more different it is, the more difficult it would be to "prove" there was life there without going there or receiving signals.

My conjecture was a hope for the easiest to interpret signal of life on another planet.

reply to post by Mekanic

I see no reason to believe that the only way life can exist out there has to be on a planet exactly like ours.

Hi Mek, If a planet did look like ours then what? Pretty soon the president would get up and announce that with this new ship we are building he thinks we can make it out there... Just maybe. But we do like 20% O2 mixed with N2 in our air with just a whif of CO2 please so one like that would be nice!

But to be able to survive on a Jupitor size planet with an atmosphere of silicate and aluminum oxide I think you or they would have to be very advanced.

Oh and sorry there were no photos provided! I'll put it up if I find one.

Originally posted by Mekanic
reply to post by centurion1211

 

Why does the atmosphere have to be so similar to ours just to harbor life? I'm still clinging to the idea that we are barking up the wrong tree in search of life. I think it's time we stop looking at the way we were designed and keep our minds open to the possibility that life can be created from other conditions than our own.

We are one planet in a vast universe. I see no reason to believe that the only way life can exist out there has to be on a planet exactly like ours.

i agree with this. how many times have we found life where none should exist on earth? remember hearing about the dozens of different creatures found around the chimneys under the sea. they live in 700 degree water and breath methane.
or the organisms they find hanging around radioactive waste.. etc

One species of bacteria, Deinococcus radiodurans, can withstand a 15,000 gray dose of radiation - 10 grays would kill a human and it takes over 1,000 grays to kill a cockroach.

i'd like to see the pics taken though, that would be cool.