< img src="http://static.indianexpress.com/m-images/Tue%20Oct%2001%202013,%2015:41%20hrs/M_Id_425319_Kepler.jpg" alt="Kepler" width="660" title="Astronomers have mapped clouds around a planet, Kepler 7b, beyond our solar system. (NASA)"/>Astronomers have mapped clouds around a planet, Kepler 7b, beyond our solar system. (NASA)
For the first time, astronomers have mapped clouds around a planet beyond our solar system - a giant sizzling, Jupiter-like world. The planet, known as Kepler-7b, is marked by high clouds in the west and clear skies in the east, astronomers, using data from NASA's Kepler and Spitzer space telescopes, found.
Previous studies from Spitzer have resulted in temperature maps of planets orbiting other stars, but this is the first look at cloud structures on a distant world.
"By observing this planet with Spitzer and Kepler for more than three years, we were able to produce a very low-resolution 'map' of this giant, gaseous planet," said lead author of the study Brice-Olivier Demory of Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge.
"We wouldn't expect to see oceans or continents on this type of world, but we detected a clear, reflective signature that we interpreted as clouds," said Demory.
Kepler has discovered more than 150 exoplanets, which are planets outside our solar system, and Kepler-7b was one of the first.
Kepler's visible-light observations of Kepler-7b's moon-like phases led to a rough map of the planet that showed a bright spot on its western hemisphere. But these data were not enough on their own to decipher whether the bright spot was coming from clouds or heat. The Spitzer Space Telescope played a crucial role in answering this question.
Spitzer's ability to detect infrared light means it was able to measure Kepler-7b's temperature, estimating it between 815 and 982 degrees Celsius.
This is relatively cool for a planet that orbits so close to its star - within 0.6 astronomical units - and, according to astronomers, too cool to be the source of light Kepler observed.
Instead, they determined, light from the planet's star is bouncing off cloud tops located on the west side of the planet.
... contd.
ALSO READ
LG aims Rs 200 cr revenue from 4G-ready G2 smartphones by 2014
NASA plans first 3D printer space launch in 2014
Your smartphone can detect earthquakes?
Now, 'smart' water bottle to help you stay hydratedTERMS OF USE: The views, opinions and comments posted are your, and are not endorsed by this website. You shall be solely responsible for the comment posted here. The website reserves the right to delete, reject, or otherwise remove any views, opinions and comments posted or part thereof. You shall ensure that the comment is not inflammatory, abusive, derogatory, defamatory &/or obscene, or contain pornographic matter and/or does not constitute hate mail, or violate privacy of any person (s) or breach confidentiality or otherwise is illegal, immoral or contrary to public policy. Nor should it contain anything infringing copyright &/or intellectual property rights of any person(s).
via Science - Google News http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&usg=AFQjCNFY9BTmmyRouWfa2UiJ71XKIKQd8g&url=http://www.indianexpress.com/news/cosmic-clouds-patchy-clouds-on-jupiterlike-alien-planet-found/1176862/
Put the internet to work for you.
No comments:
Post a Comment