Steam appears outside the planet like Neptune

For the first time, scientists determined the chemical composition of the atmosphere of a distant planet, far smaller than Jupiter.

>>>The most alien planet-like planet ever

Alien HAT P-11b is similar in size to Neptune, orbiting the host star of the constellation Cygnus, about 124 light-years from Earth.

Alien HAT P-11b is about the same size as Neptune - (Photo: BBC News)

According to a report published in the journal Nature, this distant planet's outer atmosphere contains about 90% of hydrogen and a significant amount of water vapor. This is also the smallest exoplanet ever 'revealed' its chemical composition.

With the support of three modern telescopes, clear conditions, a group of researchers at the University of Maryland, USA performed color measurements of absorption light of HAT P-11b when it was in the opposite position. master star.

Dr. Eliza Kempton of Grinnell University, lowa said: 'In the past, we could only apply this to larger or Jupiter-sized planets. But in the end, we also discovered molecules in the atmosphere of smaller planets. That is an important step in studying extrasolar planets ".

Water has a clear impact on life, although HAT P-11b is too hot to be accommodated because it is located near the host star. However, the presence of water in the atmosphere of small-sized extrasolar planets is an important consideration in the search for life in other remote places in our galaxy.

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