New Technique Finds Gaseous Metals in Exoplanet Atmospheres

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New Technique Finds Gaseous Metals in Exoplanet Atmospheres
By Lisa Grossman August 31, 2010 | 7:15 pm | Categories: Space


A previously undetected element has been found in the atmospheres of two different extrasolar planets. Using a new technique at a new telescope, two separate groups of exoplanet scientists have discovered potassium in the atmospheres of two hot Jupiters more than 190 light-years from Earth.

“I’m really excited about this,” exoplanet expert Sara Seager of MIT, who was not involved in the new discoveries, said in an e-mail. “Together with other ground-based advances it is changing exoplanet atmosphere studies in a huge way.”

The two groups, one led by exoplanet scientist David Sing of the University of Exeter and the other led by University of Florida grad student Knicole Colón, used the 34-foot-wide Gran Telescopio Canarias in the Canary Islands to observe the planet XO-2b, located around 500 light-years from Earth, and the planet HD 80606b, about 190 light-years from Earth.

Both planets pass in front of their stars, or transit, from the vantage point of Earth. As the planet crosses its star’s face, some of the light from the star seeps through the glowing ring of the planet’s upper atmosphere. Different atoms and molecules interact with light in specific ways, so observing the light that makes it through the atmosphere allows scientists to figure out what elements it contains.




Read More http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2010/08/potassium-exo-atmospheres/

[AlecBGreen]

1. very cool

Its amazing how quickly we have progressed in this new field. We went from NO known exoplanets to MANY known exoplanets to determining distance, size, mass & temp of planets, all in a few short years. Now we are identifying individual elements in their atmosphere. All from the safety & comfort of Earth :) These are exciting times!

[GreenPartyVoter]

2. Sure is!