An international team of researchers has performed incredibly detailed observations of the atmosphere of exoplanet HD 209458 b. These observations have provided evidence that this planet, which is located very close to its star, did not form where it is currently located but probably over 100 times further out.
HD 209458 b, located 159 light-years from Earth, is a planet of firsts. It was the first planet discovered with the transit method (where a blip in the light from a star indicates a planet passing in front of it, momentarily blocking the light) in 1999. It was also the first extrasolar planet known to have its atmosphere detected, as well as many of its physical properties measured. Now, astronomers have added something else. Detailing their findings in the journal Nature, this is the first time an exoplanet has revealed six chemical elements detected in its atmosphere.