Methane found on distant world

[flux_29]

A carbon-containing molecule has been detected for the first time on a planet outside our Solar System.

The organic compound methane was found in the atmosphere of a planet orbiting a star some 63 light years away.

Water has also been found in its atmosphere, but scientists say the planet is far too hot to support life.

Scientists detected the gas in the atmosphere of a Jupiter-sized planet known as HD 189733b, located 63 light years from Earth, in the constellation Vulpecula - the little fox.

About the size of Jupiter but orbits closer to the parent star in its Solar System than Mercury does in our own.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7301390.stm

http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/080319-extrasolar-methane.html

 

[All Seeing Eye]

You mean to tell me that they actually found Methane, a highly abundant natural gas in the atmosphere of a gas giant.

OMG!

 

[Lior .B.]

You mean to tell me that they actually found Methane, a highly abundant elemental gas in the atmosphere of a gas giant.

OMG!

When you put it that way...

 

[Timofnine]

They must have a lot of cows.

 

[flux_29]

They must have a lot of cows.

You mean space cows.

 

[Gertch]

Wasn't me!

We should launch a probe. How many centuries before it would get there?

 

[All Seeing Eye]

Wasn't me!

We should launch a probe. How many centuries before it would get there?

If the probe could travel at about 40,000mph like the Voyager probe then I worked it out at about 16,826 years but i'm probably wrong, probes can probably travel faster, im not sure.

Put it this way, by the time it gets a quarter of the way there we'll have likely developed warp drive and we could send a ship to overtake it.

 

[Lior .B.]

Or to use it as a target practice for our phasers

 

[philbob]

we have confirmed alien faltuance

 

[Meredith]

Global Warming blamed on the Xer'qwit of Ceries VI, children and minorities hardest hit.

 

[Trekker4747]

I find it interesting they article points out the planet is too hot to support life.

I'd say too hot to support life as we know it.

 

[Brent]

I find it interesting they article points out the planet is too hot to support life.

I'd say too hot to support life as we know it.

I was just gonna say that, how do we know there isn't some kind of life that can exist at those temps?

Tholians anyone?

 

[Argus Skyhawk]

You mean to tell me that they actually found Methane, a highly abundant natural gas in the atmosphere of a gas giant.

OMG!

Well, I'm sure they weren't surprised that methane was there, but to be able to directly recognize a chemical on a planet outside the solar system is still impressive.

 

[Samurai8472]

I find it interesting they article points out the planet is too hot to support life.

I'd say too hot to support life as we know it.

I was just gonna say that, how do we know there isn't some kind of life that can exist at those temps?

Tholians anyone?

*Mirror version of me*

Burn them for information!

I agree that it seems short sighted to believe that nothing can survive at the heat. Alot of things adapt to their enviroment.