ZME Science
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science

Home → Space

Huge exoplanet ten times more massive than Jupiter has unique carbon monoxide atmosphere

There's no water in its stratosphere -- a first that might change what scientists think Hot Jupiters form.

Tibi PuiubyTibi Puiu
December 1, 2017
in News, Space
A A
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterSubmit to Reddit

About 300 light years away lies a weird planet, unlike any other astronomers have ever seen. Called WASP-18b, this hot giant has 10 times the mass of Jupiter and a peculiar atmosphere mostly made of carbon monoxide. The data suggests that there’s no water vapor to be found in its stratosphere, which could change our understanding of the formation of such planets.

Artist impression of WASP-18b. Credit: NASA.
Artist impression of WASP-18b. Credit: NASA.

WASP-18b was first identified by the Wide Angle Search for Planets survey which uses a double setup each comprising 8 cameras that cover 480 degrees of the sky. One set of cameras lies in the northern hemisphere, the other in the southern hemisphere. Since both setups entered operation in 2006, astronomers have used them to gather data on 30 million stars. By studying small changes or wobbles in the light of a star, scientists can determine whether a planet is passing by and, if yes, they can derive some of its properties. WASP-18b, along with another 100 planets or so have been discovered by the survey in this manner.

[panel style=”panel-info” title=”What’s a Hot Jupiter” footer=””]A ‘Hot Jupiter’ is an exoplanet like Jupiter but much hotter, with orbits that take it feverishly close to the parent star.[/panel]

This behemoth planet is quite different from many others discovered by the WASP survey or the prolific Kepler Space Telescope responsible for over 2,000 confirmed exoplanet sightings. When NASA scientists directed the lenses of the Hubble and Spritzer telescopes towards WASP-18b, they determined that there likely isn’t any water in the stratosphere which is instead largely made of carbon monoxide. Data suggests the stratosphere is packed with hot gas while the lower troposphere is dominated by cooler carbon monoxide.

“The composition of WASP-18b defies all expectations,” said Kyle Sheppard of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.

“We don’t know of any other extrasolar planet where carbon monoxide so completely dominates the upper atmosphere,” Sheppard said.

The team determined the two types of carbon monoxide signatures at a wavelength of about 1.6 micrometers and an emission signature at about 4.5 micrometers. This is the first time researchers have detected both types of fingerprints for a single type of molecule in an exoplanet’s atmosphere.

With a smothering stratosphere loaded with carbon monoxide and devoid of water, the hot-Jupiter-class planet WASP-18b may have formed quite differently from our own Jupiter: https://t.co/dc8heHWTcl pic.twitter.com/TB5l3NbtIW

— NASA Goddard (@NASAGoddard) November 29, 2017

All of these observations point to the curious possibility that this planet may contain 300 times more metals than other exoplanets of similar mass. If that’s true, WASp-18b clearly did not form in the same way as other Hot Jupiters before it.

RelatedPosts

For the first time, researchers discover true color of distant planet
A Planet 900 Light-Years Away Has Weather So Extreme “It Feels Like Science Fiction”. It’s 70,000 km/h Winds Carry Vaporized Iron and Even Titanium
Jovian planets — the giants of solar systems
Gas giants orbiting young star may require astronomers to rethink planetary formation

“This rare combination of factors opens a new window into our understanding of physicochemical processes in exoplanetary atmospheres,” said Nikku Madhusudhan, a co-author of the study from the University of Cambridge.

Findings appeared in the Astrophysical Journal Letters.

Tags: hot jupiter

ShareTweetShare
Tibi Puiu

Tibi Puiu

Tibi is a science journalist and co-founder of ZME Science. He writes mainly about emerging tech, physics, climate, and space. In his spare time, Tibi likes to make weird music on his computer and groom felines. He has a B.Sc in mechanical engineering and an M.Sc in renewable energy systems.

Related Posts

News

A Planet 900 Light-Years Away Has Weather So Extreme “It Feels Like Science Fiction”. It’s 70,000 km/h Winds Carry Vaporized Iron and Even Titanium

byTibi Puiu
3 months ago
Astronomy

Jovian planets — the giants of solar systems

byMihai Andrei
5 years ago
Illustration of CI Tau, which is surrounded by a planetary disc and has four gas giants orbiting around it. Credit: University of Cambridge.
News

Gas giants orbiting young star may require astronomers to rethink planetary formation

byTibi Puiu
7 years ago
The day side of the planet, called WASP-12b, eats light rather than reflects it into space. Credit: NASA, ESA, and G. Bacon (STScI).
News

Odd Jupiter-sized exoplanet is hot enough to melt metal but paradoxically pitch-black

byTibi Puiu
8 years ago

Recent news

This Superbug Learned How to Feed on Plastic from Hospitals

May 20, 2025

China’s Tiangong space station has some bacteria that are unknown to science

May 20, 2025

Hidden Communication Devices Found in Chinese-Made Inverters Could Put U.S. Electrical Grid at Risk

May 20, 2025
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Editorial Policy
  • Privacy Policy and Terms of Use
  • How we review products
  • Contact

© 2007-2025 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Science News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Space
  • Future
  • Features
    • Natural Sciences
    • Physics
      • Matter and Energy
      • Quantum Mechanics
      • Thermodynamics
    • Chemistry
      • Periodic Table
      • Applied Chemistry
      • Materials
      • Physical Chemistry
    • Biology
      • Anatomy
      • Biochemistry
      • Ecology
      • Genetics
      • Microbiology
      • Plants and Fungi
    • Geology and Paleontology
      • Planet Earth
      • Earth Dynamics
      • Rocks and Minerals
      • Volcanoes
      • Dinosaurs
      • Fossils
    • Animals
      • Mammals
      • Birds
      • Fish
      • Amphibians
      • Reptiles
      • Invertebrates
      • Pets
      • Conservation
      • Animal facts
    • Climate and Weather
      • Climate change
      • Weather and atmosphere
    • Health
      • Drugs
      • Diseases and Conditions
      • Human Body
      • Mind and Brain
      • Food and Nutrition
      • Wellness
    • History and Humanities
      • Anthropology
      • Archaeology
      • History
      • Economics
      • People
      • Sociology
    • Space & Astronomy
      • The Solar System
      • Sun
      • The Moon
      • Planets
      • Asteroids, meteors & comets
      • Astronomy
      • Astrophysics
      • Cosmology
      • Exoplanets & Alien Life
      • Spaceflight and Exploration
    • Technology
      • Computer Science & IT
      • Engineering
      • Inventions
      • Sustainability
      • Renewable Energy
      • Green Living
    • Culture
    • Resources
  • Videos
  • Reviews
  • About Us
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Editorial policy
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact

© 2007-2025 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.