NASA has discovered water on a planet outside the solar system. The planet’s name is WASP-18b, and it was found in 2009 with the help of Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), Hubble and Spitzer telescopes. James Webb Space Telescope has discovered water here. This planet is 400 light years away from Earth, and astronomers have found steam and gas in its atmosphere.
Main Features Of This Planet
- It is called an ultra-hot gas giant.
- This planet is 10 times bigger than Jupiter.
- Here one year is equal to 23 hours.
- WASP-18b has recorded temperatures up to 2,700 degrees Celsius. Scientists say the water has evaporated and spread in the atmosphere due to high temperatures.
- NASA said that this planet is always in front of its star. Just like a part of the Moon is always in front of the Earth.
Another Planet Exists Outside The Solar System
Last year, carbon dioxide (CO2) was detected on the exoplanet WASP-39b outside the solar system. This planet is at a distance of 700 light years from the Earth. This planet revolves around a star like the Sun. While it weighs a quarter of Jupiter’s, WASP-39b appears 30% bloated compared to Jupiter due to gas. However, its diameter is 1.3 times that of Jupiter.
The temperature on WASP-39b is around 900 °C. It revolves very close to its star. Here one year is equal to 4 days. According to researchers, this planet was discovered only in 2011, but its picture has now come to the fore. It was discovered with the help of a radio telescope.
How Was CO2 Detected?
Hubble and Spitzer’s telescopes detected water vapour, sodium and potassium in WASP-39b’s atmosphere. Now the James Webb telescope has detected the presence of CO2. Scientists have learned about this by looking at the color of the gas. Gases absorb certain types of colours so that we can detect them.
