Astronomers discover traces of helium in an exoplanet's atmosphere
Daily MailScientists have discovered helium in the atmosphere of an Exoplanet for the first time. The strength of the signal detected was so large that scientists believe the planet's upper atmosphere could extend tens of thousands of miles into space. This is the first time helium has been found on an exoplanet An international team of astronomers, led by a PhD student from the University of Exeter, discovered evidence of the inert gas on exoplanet WASP-107b This 'super-Neptune' planet is found 200 light years from Earth in the constellation of Virgo. Scientists study the atmosphere of distant exoplanets using enormous space satellites like Hubble Distant stars and their orbiting planets often have conditions unlike anything we see in our atmosphere. This diagram shows how light passing from a star and through the atmosphere of an exoplanet produces Fraunhofer lines indicating the presence of key compounds such as sodium or helium In this method, researchers can tell what elements and compounds are present by certain wavelengths that are not detected.
History of this topic
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Scientists detect helium on planet outside our solar system for the first time
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