Image copyright AP The astronomers involved in the search for planets outside our solar system, say that they have managed to make one of the most important discoveries in the field – to detect hot planet so similar to Venus, that she was called her twin.
The rocky planet is known as GJ 1132b is about the same size as Venus and orbits a star 39 light years from Earth.
From the point of view of astronomy this is a relatively short distance, which will study the atmosphere of this planet with the help of the next generation of telescopes that are already in development.
So far, only very large objects can be studied from Earth, and scientists eagerly awaiting the opportunity to study sized planet GJ 1132b, as this may allow them to determine whether there is life outside our solar system.
However, as GJ 1132b is located at a distance of 39 light-years away (370 trillion kilometers) , it is unlikely that it will be possible to send a spacecraft.
But if scientists can figure out from some of the molecules is the atmosphere of this planet, it will do a lot of conclusions about what is happening on the surface.
Planet “in the oven”
However, GJ 1132b is hardly suitable for life.
Its orbit is so close to its star that one ” year “on this planet lasts only 1.6 Earth days. Accordingly, as said one of the researchers found her, she was “constantly in the oven”.
This means that if GJ 1132b was water, it has long evaporated. However, this planet could survive the atmosphere. It makes GJ 1132b more like Venus than the Earth, although the level of temperature on Venus is about seven times less.
However, despite the unlikelihood of any life on GJ 1132b, astronomers believe that in her study may be acquired useful skills for later study more habitable planets.
To study the atmosphere of so distant planets – it is not easy.
It is necessary to investigate the starlight passes through the planet’s atmosphere, when it is between the star and Earth. The molecules of the atmosphere will leave some imprint on this world.
Unfortunately, these details can not be detected by telescopes present. In addition, the star around which the planet, usually so bright that its light outshines any possible molecular traces.
As a result, until now it was possible to get some information only about the atmospheres of very large planets, the size Neptune or more.
However, such a planet is much less interesting, as the ability to detect gases that contribute to the development of life, most in the smaller planets.
“Red dwarfs”
The study of GJ 1132b and its atmosphere contributes to the fact that it is orbiting the star of “red dwarf”.
The mass of such stars is less than one-third the mass of the Sun, and their temperature is much lower, which means that its light is unlikely to completely overshadow the atmosphere of the study of the planet.
In addition, the red dwarfs in the galaxy 10 times more than the stars similar to the sun.
“Yes, most likely, the next potentially habitable planets revolve around red dwarfs” – says Zakora Bert Thompson, head of the team of scientists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who discovered GJ 1132b.
“And if we want to study the atmosphere of this planet, it will be much easier to do in the event that this planet revolves around a small and relatively cool star, in the case of GJ 1132b “, – he said.
The necessary telescopes almost set.
Over the next 10 years will be commissioned super-observatory in the world, with mirrors with a diameter of 40 meters.
In addition, soon will earn “heir” telescope “Hubble “- Space Telescope” James Webb “will be launched into orbit in 2018.
Its detectors will be able to study objects such as, for example, GJ 1132b.
” This telescope will be “machine classifying planets, “- said Drake Deming of the University of Maryland.
” The wavelength of its infrared range is greater than that of “Hubble” and most of the information we get is from the infrared spectrum, “- adds the scientist.
Details of opening GJ 1132b published in the journal Nature.
- GJ 1132b orbits a star the size of five times less than the Sun
- This ” Red Dwarf “twice colder than the Sun
- It emits only 1/200 of light compared to the Sun
- The orbit of GJ 1132b is only 2.3 million kilometers from the star
- Full circulation around the star takes 1.6 days
- The diameter of GJ 1132b reaches 14,800 kilometers
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