Astronomers obtain the first direct evidence of hydroxyl molecules in the atmosphere of a planet beyond the Solar System.
Artist’s impression of an ultra-hot Jupiter exoplanet, WASP-33b. Image credit Astrobiology Center
An international collaboration of astronomers led by a researcher from the Astrobiology Center and Queen’s University Belfast, and including researchers from Trinity College Dublin, has detected a new chemical signature in the atmosphere of an extrasolar planet (a planet that orbits a star other than our Sun).
The hydroxyl radical (OH) was found on the dayside of the exoplanet WASP-33b. This planet is an “ultra-hot Jupiter”, a gas-giant planet orbiting its host star much closer than Mercury orbits the Sun and therefore reaching atmospheric temperatures of more than 2,500°C (hot enough to melt most metals).
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First ever hydroxyl radical detected in ‘ultra-hot Jupiter’ atmosphere
Artist’s impression of an ultra-hot Jupiter exoplanet, WASP-33b. Image: Astrobiology Center
Astronomers used a new instrument to detect hydroxyl radical in the atmosphere of WASP-33b, the exoplanet known as ‘ultra-hot Jupiter’.
An international team of astronomers have detected a new chemical signature in the atmosphere of an exoplanet.
The team, which includes researchers from Trinity College Dublin and Queen’s University Belfast, found the first direct evidence of a hydroxyl radical (OH) in the atmosphere of a planet outside the solar system.
An OH is a type of free radical and the neutral form of the hydroxide ion. It is a highly reactive species that attack most of the organic molecules.
Astronomers detect first ever hydroxyl molecule signature in an exoplanet atmosphere eurekalert.org - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from eurekalert.org Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Astronomers Detect New Chemical Signature in an Exoplanet’s Atmosphere
April 27th 2021, 1:08 pm
This planet is a so-called ultra-hot Jupiter, a gas-giant planet orbiting its host star much closer than Mercury orbits the sun
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An international collaboration of astronomers led by a researcher from the Astrobiology Center and Queen’s University Belfast has detected a new chemical signature in the atmosphere of an extrasolar planet i.e., a planet that orbits a star other than our sun.
The hydroxyl radical (OH) was found on the dayside of the exoplanet WASP-33b. This planet is a so-called ‘ultra-hot Jupiter,” a gas-giant planet orbiting its host star much closer than Mercury orbits the sun (Figure 1) and therefore reaching atmospheric temperatures of more than 2500 degrees C (hot enough to melt most metals).