Water Discovered on Extrasolar Planet!

voia Space.com

HD209458b, the first planet ever to be directly observed in orbit around another star, and also the first known to have observable quantities of atmospheric oxygen and carbon, has also given up another secret: water also exists in the planet's atmosphere. While the planet is a hot Jupiter orbiting close to its parent star and thus likely without lifeforms, the discovery of water is profound. Lowell Observatory's Travis Barman made the discovery by re-anlayzing Hubble data.

"Using a combination of previously published Hubble Space Telescope measurements and new theoretical models, Barman found strong evidence for water absorption in the atmosphere of the extrasolar planet HD209458b. Barman took advantage of the fact that HD209458b is a so-called “transiting planet,” meaning it passes directly in front of its star as seen from Earth. It transits every three-and-a-half days. When this happens, water vapor in the planet’s atmosphere causes the planet to appear slightly larger in the infrared part of the starlight than in the visible portion."

The implications, of course, are profound. If water is readily available throughout the galaxy, there ought to be any number of habitable planets, perhaps as many as billions, and theoretically, Klingons and Vulcans existing somewhere out there to go visit. Too cool.