The Spitzer Space Telescope has detected water vapour in the atmosphere of the gas giant planet HD189733b (Illustration: Christophe Carreau/ESA)
Water vapour has been found in the atmosphere of a Jupiter-like planet outside our solar system.
Planetary scientists had predicted that “hot Jupiters” – massive gas giants orbiting perilously close to their host stars – would have water vapour in their atmospheres. In April, astronomers claimed they had found some using the Hubble Space Telescope, but many dismissed the evidence as flawed.
Now Giovanna Tinetti of University College London and her colleagues have used the Spitzer Space Telescope to probe HD 189733b,…
