Nearby Super-Earth Exoplanet Shrouded in High Clouds; Why Their Composition Interests Researchers
ByScientists have found a reason for people on Earth to stop complaining about bad weather.
On one "super-Earth" exoplanet, dubbed GJ 1214b, is surrounded by clouds that make observing the celestial body difficult. According to a press release, using the Hubble Telescope, the University of Chicago researchers published their study Thursday in the journal Nature.
"I think it's very exciting that we can use a telescope like Hubble that was never designed with this in mind, do these kinds of observations with such exquisite precision, and really nail down some property of a small planet orbiting a distant star," study principal investigator Jacob Bean, an assistant professor, said in the release.
At 40 light years, GJ 1214b is fairly close by and easy to observe, however, the researchers detected some sort of heavy molecule complicating their view. With near-infrared light and using the planet's host star as a backlight, the researchers determined the planet's high clouds were hiding the lower atmosphere from view.
Unlike Earth, GJ 1214b's clouds have an unknown makeup. Models suggest, at a temperature of 450 degrees Fahrenheit, the clouds could be made up of potassium chloride or zinc sulfide.
Kreidberg said NASA's launch of the 6.5m James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) later this decade will help researchers learn more about super-Earths.
"Looking forward, JWST will be transformative," she said. "The new capabilities of this telescope will allow us to peer through the clouds on planets like GJ 1214b. But more than that, it may open the door to studies of Earth-like planets around nearby stars."