Hubble telescope finds carbon dioxide on extrasolar planet

2008-12-10 08:04:36 [ Big Normal Small ]    　Comment

WASHINGTON, Dec. 9 (Xinhua) -- Hubble Space Telescope has discovered carbon dioxide in the atmosphere of a planet orbiting another star, the U.S. space agency NASA reported on Tuesday.

This file photo shows NASA's Hubble Space Telescope reaches a milestone of 100,000 orbits on August 11, 2008.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo)
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This breakthrough is an important step toward finding chemical biotracers of extraterrestrial life, said NASA.

The Jupiter-sized planet, called HD 189733b, lies 63 light-years away. It is too hot for life, but the Hubble observations are a proof-of-concept demonstration that the basic chemistry for life can be measured on planets orbiting other stars. Organic compounds also can be a by-product of life processes and their detection on an Earthlike planet someday may provide the first evidence of life beyond our planet.

Previous observations of HD 189733b by Hubble and the Spitzer Space Telescope found water vapor. Earlier this year, Hubble found methane in the planet's atmosphere.

"These atmospheric studies will begin to determine the compositions and chemical processes operating on distant worlds orbiting other stars. The future for this newly opened frontier of science is extremely promising as we expect to discover many more molecules in exoplanet atmospheres," said Eric Smith, Hubble program scientist at NASA.

Hubble unveils colorful star birth region on 100,000th orbit

  WASHINGTON, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- In commemoration of Hubble space telescope completing its 100,000th orbit around the Earth during its 18th year of exploration and discovery, scientists aimed Hubble to take a snapshot of a dazzling region of celestial birth and renewal.

  According to NASA's reports on Monday, Hubble peered into a small portion of the Tarantula nebula near the star cluster NGC 2074. The region is a firestorm of raw stellar creation, perhaps triggered by a nearby supernova explosion. It lies about 170,000 light-years away and is one of the most active star-forming regions in our local group of galaxies.  Full story

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