Detect a significant amount of water in a strange planet

Scientists have discovered an extrasolar planet, not far from us, covered by a water-filled atmosphere.

Scientists say, Gliese 1214b - the planet outside the Solar System , the way we are not far away is covered by an atmosphere with lots of water in the plasma state, the fourth state of matter (other states are solid, liquid, gas).

Gliese 1214b was discovered by the MEarth project when they tracked more than 2,000 low-mass stars to search for planets. Located in the constellation Ophiuchus, Gliese 1214b is 40 light years from the Solar System.

Gliese 1214b is spinning around the host star.(Photo: Discovery)

Norio Narita, from Japan's National Observatory, said: "When the temperature and pressure are extremely high, water does not exist in a normal state (vapor, liquid or solid) but in ionized gas. Also known as plasma state, this is the state of water on planet Gliese 1214b ".

Due to the distance between Gliese 1214b and the host star closer to Earth's distance - the Sun is 70 times so its temperature is up to 280 degrees Celsius. The high temperature makes its atmosphere different from our planet.

Water is often considered an essential component of life but according to Norio Narita, Gliese 1214b cannot live."Although water vapor can exist in the air, liquid water will not exist on the surface of the planet. Therefore, we do not think that this planet is suitable for life."

Narita's team plans to continue studying the planet with spectral observations at visible wavelengths.