Elusive molecule. Scientists unexpectedly discovered methane on a distant exoplanet

November 24, 22:05 Share:

Methane discovered on exoplanet WASP-80b (Photo: NASA)

Scientists using the James Webb Space Telescope have discovered methane in the atmosphere of the distant gas giant WASP-80b. This conjunction is almost never found in celestial bodies that do not orbit the Sun..

Methane, a molecule found in large quantities in the atmospheres of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune in our solar system, remains almost elusive to scientists when studying the atmospheres of exoplanets.

But recently, NASA's James Webb Space Telescope conducted spectroscopic studies of the distant ( about 162 light years away) of the exoplanet WASP-80b, located in the constellation Aquila, and discovered in its atmosphere substances that usually indicate the possibility of the existence of life – water vapor and methane. They were recorded at moments when the planet passed in front of and behind its star, which is approximately 1.5 billion years old.

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Gas giant WASP-80b is half the size of Jupiter. Life on this planet is impossible. The process of serpentinization, which can lead to the appearance of methane due to the interaction of carbon dioxide and the mineral olivine, is also impossible here, since WASP-80b is not a rocky planet.

The discovery of methane here, the researchers note, provides humanity with new knowledge that sheds light on the chemical composition and evolution of such distant planets.

“As we find methane and other gases on exoplanets, we expand our knowledge of how chemistry and physics work in conditions different from those on Earth. … For example, by measuring the amount of methane and water on the planet, we can draw a conclusion about the ratio of carbon atoms and oxygen atoms. This ratio is expected to vary depending on where and when planets form in their system. Thus, studying this carbon-to-oxygen ratio could provide clues as to whether the planet formed close to its star or further away before gradually moving inward,” the study authors explain in a NASA blog post.

The discovery, astronomers say, also provides an opportunity to finally compare planets outside our solar system with planets within it.

“NASA has a history of sending spacecraft to the gas giants in our solar system to measure the amount of methane and other molecules in their atmosphere. Now, with measurements of the same gas on an exoplanet, we can… see if expectations from the solar system match what we see beyond it,” they note.

Read also: Where does the gas come from? NASA has confirmed the presence of methane in the atmosphere of Mars Save the planet. In the USA they are testing bacteria that absorb methane. Cows had nothing to do with it.. Climatologists have discovered the main source of methane emissions on the planet

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