Small & Big Bridge by MagikUnicorn
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LaSalle Blv Montreal
Mercier Bridge in the depth
☼ SPACE NEWS ☼
Astronomers do it Again: Find Organic Molecules Around Gas Planet
Peering far beyond our solar system, NASA researchers have detected the basic chemistry for life in a second hot gas planet, advancing astronomers toward the goal of being able to characterize planets where life could exist. The planet is not habitable but it has the same chemistry that, if found around a rocky planet in the future, could indicate the presence of life.
"It's the second planet outside our solar system in which water, methane and carbon dioxide have been found, which are potentially important for biological processes in habitable planets," said researcher Mark Swain of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. "Detecting organic compounds in two exoplanets now raises the possibility that it will become commonplace to find planets with molecules that may be tied to life."
Swain and his co-investigators used data from two of NASA's orbiting Great Observatories, the Hubble Space Telescope and Spitzer Space Telescope, to study HD 209458b, a hot, gaseous giant planet bigger than Jupiter that orbits a sun-like star about 150 light years away in the constellation Pegasus. The new finding follows their breakthrough discovery in December 2008 of carbon dioxide around another hot, Jupiter-size planet, HD 189733b. Earlier Hubble and Spitzer observations of that planet had also revealed water vapor and methane.
The detections were made through spectroscopy, which splits light into its components to reveal the distinctive spectral signatures of different chemicals. Data from Hubble's near-infrared camera and multi-object spectrometer revealed the presence of the molecules, and data from Spitzer's photometer and infrared spectrometer measured their amounts.
"This demonstrates that we can detect the molecules that matter for life processes," said Swain. Astronomers can now begin comparing the two planetary atmospheres for differences and similarities. For example, the relative amounts of water and carbon dioxide in the two planets is similar, but HD 209458b shows a greater abundance of methane than HD 189733b. "The high methane abundance is telling us something," said Swain. "It could mean there was something special about the formation of this planet."
Other large, hot Jupiter-type planets can be characterized and compared using existing instruments, Swain said. This work will lay the groundwork for the type of analysis astronomers eventually will need to perform in shortlisting any promising rocky Earth-like planets where the signatures of organic chemicals might indicate the presence of life.
Rocky worlds are expected to be found by NASA's Kepler mission, which launched earlier this year, but astronomers believe we are a decade or so away from being able to detect any chemical signs of life on such a body.
If and when such Earth-like planets are found in the future, "the detection of organic compounds will not necessarily mean there's life on a planet, because there are other ways to generate such molecules," Swain said. "If we detect organic chemicals on a rocky, Earth-like planet, we will want to understand enough about the planet to rule out non-life processes that could have led to those chemicals being there."
"These objects are too far away to send probes to, so the only way we're ever going to learn anything about them is to point telescopes at them. Spectroscopy provides a powerful tool to determine their chemistry and dynamics."
The full version of this story with accompanying images is at: FULL STORY & IMAGES
Thanks
Magik
Comments (67)
hipps13
sweet place for a thought warm hugs that smile, Linda
renecyberdoc
great shot-nice region.
3x3
lovely capture Magik x
UteBigSmile
Thank you for this picture and for the very interesting news!!! Hug's
Bossie_Boots
Superb !!!
myrrhluz
Wonderful and interesting Space News! I love the little bridge. Great railings and shadows!
sossy
fantastic capture of the two brisges! love the ironwork of the railing of the small bridge! ;o)
Alex_Antonov
Excellent!
delbeke
Lovely scene or light and shadows. Beautiful bridge.
RodolfoCiminelli
A beautiful place and wonderful shot my friend....!!!
lucindawind
beautiful POV gorgeous photo
Dreamingbee
what a wonderful bridge and place ... inspiring...
VDH
Very nice view and excellent shot!
carlx
Wonderful and lovely place, my friend!!!
starfire777
Excellent photo and composition!!!
moochagoo
D'accorda avec Claude19 :)))
atlas7
J'aime bien ce parc ! Il faudra que je visite le Québec un jour ! Ca a l'air super... Je ne connais qu'un peu de l'Ontario (Chutes du Niagara) et encore pour le boulot... Mais grace à toutes tes photos je peux un peu découvrir ce merveilleux pays, de mes cousins... ;) merci 5++
jendellas
Loving the bridges, beautiful pic. Your info on NASSA was interesting, thanx.
emmecielle
fantastic image! :)
adrie
Very beautiful picture Magik, excellent capture.
Star4mation
Excellent photo Magik :)
Miska7
Really nice scene. Great lighting! Very nice shot.
sandra46
superlative shot! i know Mercier bridge very well
jocko500
cool looking
Danny_G Online Now!
Excellent capture
DennisReed
Stunning Capture Magik, awesome natural framing
elfin14doaks
I love the little bridge. It is so cool looking and thanks for the space update. I fiound that incredible interesting and am checking out the website.
Minda
another beautiful view MU!!
miashadows
Very beautiful,wonderful shot !
artistheat
Beautiful Place and Shot