A distant planet known for its extreme weather also smells like rotten eggs, according to a new study. Scientists examined the atmosphere of HD 189733 b, which has scorching temperatures and glass-like rain, using data from the James Webb Space Telescope.
Researchers found that hydrogen sulfide, a gas known for its foul odor and also present on Jupiter, makes up most of HD 189733 b’s atmosphere. This gas, which is also emitted during farts, contributes to the planet’s unpleasant smell.
This discovery marks one of the first detections of hydrogen sulfide on an exoplanet, a planet outside our solar system. “So, if your nose could work at 1000°C … the atmosphere would smell like rotten eggs,” said Dr. Guangwei Fu, an astrophysicist at Johns Hopkins who led the research. The study was published in the journal Nature.
Although hydrogen sulfide can indicate the presence of alien life, researchers are not looking for life on this planet because it is a gas giant, like Jupiter, and too hot to support life. However, they note that finding hydrogen sulfide is a step toward understanding how planets form.
The James Webb Space Telescope is opening up new avenues for analyzing the chemicals on distant planets, helping astronomers learn more about their origins. “It’s been quite a game changer. It’s really revolutionizing the field of astronomy. It has delivered the capability promised and even exceeded our expectations in certain ways,” said Dr. Fu.
Researchers plan to use data from the space telescope to study more planets, continuing their quest to uncover the mysteries of the universe.
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