A new study has found that the exoplanet HD 189733 b contains hydrogen sulfide.
Scientists made an exciting and thought-provoking announcement about a nearby exoplanet this week, discovering that a Jupiter-like planet smells like rotten eggs.
After analyzing data collected by the James Webb Space Telescope, scientists discovered that the exoplanet, called HD 189733 b, contains hydrogen sulfide, a colorless gas with a strong egg-like odor that is released by decaying organic matter.
In addition to hydrogen sulfide, the researchers found that carbon dioxide, oxygen, water, and heavy metals are present in the atmosphere of this unique exoplanet. Nature on monday.
“Hydrogen sulfide is a major molecule that we didn’t know existed. We predicted it would be there, and we know it’s on Jupiter, but we’d never actually detected it outside the solar system,” said study leader Guangwei Hu, an astrophysicist at Johns Hopkins University. press release.
According to the study, the exoplanet HD 189733 b was first discovered in 2005 and is located about 65 light-years from Earth in the constellation Vulpecula.
According to the study, the exoplanet is known for its extreme temperatures and “inclement weather,” which has led scientists to dub it “Hot Jupiter” because it is “notorious for its scorching temperatures of 1,700 degrees Fahrenheit and winds of up to 5,000 miles per hour that can cause glass to rain down from the sides.”
“Although we’re not looking for life on this planet because it’s too hot, the discovery of hydrogen sulfide is a stepping stone to finding this molecule on other planets and improving our understanding of how different types of planets form,” Fu said.
Looking to the future, Hu said the team plans to track sulfur on more exoplanets and analyze whether the chemical’s high concentrations are related to its location in space.
“We want to know how these kinds of planets got there, and understanding the composition of their atmospheres will help us answer that question,” Hu said.