Scientists say HAT-P-26b’s atmosphere is relatively clear of clouds and has a strong water signature. Photo: BloombergWashington: Scientists using Nasa telescopes have detected “a strong water signature” in the atmosphere of a distant Neptune-sized planet, that could help understand more about the birth and development of planetary systems. The researchers determined that HAT-P-26b’s atmosphere is relatively clear of clouds and has a strong water signature, although the planet is not a water world. To study HAT-P-26b’s atmosphere, the researchers used data from transits - occasions when the planet passed in front of its host star. During a transit, a fraction of the starlight gets filtered through the planet’s atmosphere, which absorbs some wavelengths of light but not others.

Source: Mint May 12, 2017 06:56 UTC