Time: 2024-07-12
A recent study conducted by astronomers using the CARMENES spectrograph has revealed exciting findings about the atmosphere of the exoplanet HD 149026 b , also known as Smertrios . This hot Saturn exoplanet , located at a distance of approximately 250 light - years from Earth , has been found to contain water vapor in its atmosphere . The discovery of water vapor on Smertrios could provide valuable insights into the structure and formation of this alien world.
Smertrios orbits a yellow subgiant star , HD 149026 , at a distance of about 248.5 light - years . With a radius of 0.81 Jupiter radii and a mass three times less than Jupiter , Smertrios is a metal - rich hot Saturn . Previous observations have revealed that the exoplanet completes an orbit around its host star every 2.876 days , at a distance of approximately 0.043 AU . The equilibrium temperature of Smertrios is estimated to be around 1693 K.
Lead by Sayyed A. Rafi from the University of Tokyo , a team of astronomers used the CARMENES spectrograph at the Calar Alto Observatory to study the composition of Smertrios 's atmosphere . Through high - resolution cross - correlation spectroscopy , the researchers were able to detect a water signal in the exoplanet 's atmosphere , close to the expected location of Smertrios . The strongest signal had a signal - to - noise ratio of 4.8 , indicating the presence of water vapor . However , it should be noted that this finding is not a confirmed detection but rather evidence of the existence of water vapor on Smertrios.
The presence of water vapor in the atmosphere of Smertrios suggests that the planet 's carbon - to - oxygen ratio is less than one , assuming the atmosphere is homogeneous and in chemical equilibrium . Although hydrogen cyanide was not detected in the atmosphere , the researchers believe this may be due to the limited dataset . Further studies are needed to definitively determine the presence of hydrogen cyanide on this exoplanet.
In addition to detecting water vapor , the study also measured Smertrios 's orbital and rest velocities , which were found to be approximately 158.17 and 2.57 km / s , respectively . While the orbital velocity aligns with expectations , the rest velocity displays a significant redshift , indicating possible anomalous atmospheric dynamics or an orbit with a non - zero eccentricity.
This groundbreaking research provides valuable insights into the atmospheric composition of exoplanet HD 149026 b , shedding light on the mysteries of this distant alien world . Further studies and observations are crucial to deepen our understanding of exoplanet atmospheres and their intriguing properties.
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