World | Other World Stories
Methane found on distant planet
Methane has been discovered in the atmosphere of a distant planet outside our solar system, the same planet where scientists discovered water last year.
- Agencies
- Published: 11:09 March 20, 2008
London: Methane has been discovered in the atmosphere of a distant planet outside our solar system – the same planet where scientists discovered water last year.
The Hubble Space Telescope detected the organic compound in a Jupiter-sized planet that circles a star 63 light-years away in the constellation Vulpecula.
The planet, HD 189733b, is too close to a nearby star to support life as we know it. But researchers said the observations show the astronomers' technique for detecting essential life ingredients can be used on cooler, potentially habitable Earth-sized planets.
Such discoveries could aid efforts to find life on planets outside our solar system, scientists said Wednesday.
Some experts believe finding organic molecules on Earth-like planets will be a lot harder. Scientists say methane is important to indicate a by-product of life, but finding water, carbon dioxide and oxygen are critical.
More from Other World Stories
More from World
News Editor's choice
-
Allies quit ruling coalition in Nepal
Political row could trigger months of street protests and violence
-
Qatar blaze 'started at nursery'
Fire killed 19 including 13 children, at Doha’s main shopping centre
-
Jagan jailed over illegal assets
Andhra Pradesh leader accused of corruption, cheating, conspiracy
