Velhinho Hubble detects atmosphere of exoplanet 40 light years – Daily News – Lisbon

Astros are rocky, like Earth, but its atmosphere (still largely unknown) threatens the habitability of promise

for the first time, the Hubble space telescope – launched in 1990 and soon replaced by giant James Webb – allowed to observe the atmospheres of exoplanets with two dimensions similar to Earth. Part given set of three planets orbiting a star 40 light years away.

The most distant planet, the Trappist-1d, remains a complete mystery, but the Trappist-1b knowledge and Trappist-1c, the closest stars of the telescope, progressively grows with the help of the little old device.

as they passed between its sun and the Earth, Hubble was able to confirm the rocky nature of these planets now considered possibly conducive to hosting some forms of life. Investigations made their atmospheres suggest that are both dense and potentially similar to the Earth, Venus or Mars.

“To know that these planets are not ‘mini gas giants’ is good news, since if they were, would be uninhabitable, according to our criteria, “explains Julien de Wit, a researcher at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

the two exoplanets studied by Hubble orbiting an ultra cool star and dim light and, although to move a short distance from the star of your system, they may have climates capable of being supported by certain forms of life. The exact type of atmosphere that surrounds them, however, is still unknown.

Some scientists suggest, however, that it is likely these stars are more like Venus than Earth, leaving still a enthusiasm note:. is the first “planet with such extremely high characteristics and temperatures” that was ever explored, stresses Lisa Kaltenegger of Cornell University

the study of the precise combination of gases and vapors around them It will be vital to the investigation of the earth, since the atmospheres have pivotal roles in determining their temperatures. If the atmospheric mantle, for example, is dominated by water vapor – which is possible -. The recetibilidade of life forms will decisively threatened

Scientists hope now that the James Webb Space Telescope to be already launched in 2018, can unravel these mysteries and facilitate the exploitation of so many other planets apart hitherto unknown, reports the National Geopgraphic.