astronomer have measured and mapped a weather system on a planet outside our solar system for the first fourth dimension , and I ’m sad to report that interstellar camping trips maaaay not be so much fun after all . On planet HD 189733b , at least , the wind are blow at a breathtaking 5,400 miles per hr .
That ’s the latest discovery of a team of exoplanet researchers at the University of Warwick , who measure air currents on either side of HD 189733b — located 63 light years forth in the Vulpecula constellation — as it passed in front of its star . From the gasolene giant ’s dayside to its nightside , the lead are gusting at more or less seven times the speed of strait . Put another way , a day on HD 189733b is twenty times impractical than the windiest day ever recorded on Earth .
How do you even lead off to measure out the wind on a satellite that ’s little more than a faint shadow crossroad in front of a remote star ? By taking advantage of the Doppler consequence .
Remember that one from high school physics ? It ’s the reason an ambulance ’s siren becomes higher slope as it speed up toward you : The frequency ( and in the fount of auditory sensation , pitch shot ) of a undulation as perceive by an perceiver change depending on the relative velocity of the object producing that undulation .
Only in this case , we ’re babble out about lightwaves instead of sound , and the move object in enquiry is the satellite itself .
Planet HD 189733b interbreeding in front of its star . The change clarification of the satellite ’s atmosphere allowed astronomers to measure confidential information speeds . icon Credit : Louden and Wheatley 2015 .
As HD 189733b ’s two hemisphere alternately swing towards and away from the Earth , astronomers measured subtle shifts in the wavelengths of Light Within scatter off its atmosphere . Specifically , the atmosphere seem gamey - shifted as it rotated toward our telescopes ; red - shifted as it reel away . After correcting for the rotation of the planet itself , the astronomers used this Doppler sack to calculate windspeed and focus .
“ As parts of HD 189733b ’s atmosphere move towards or off from the Earth the Doppler effect change the wavelength of this feature article , which give up the velocity to be quantify , ” lede investigator Tom Louden saidin a statement .
HD 189733b is a gargantuan , hot blob of flatulency — not on the dot a great holiday prospect . But in the time to come , Louden ’s proficiency might be used to analyze the atmospheric state of small , bouldery planets , and to figure out how “ Earth - like ” they actually are .
“ We are hugely excited to have found a direction to map out weather systems on distant planets , ” written report Colorado - author Peter Wheatley said . “ As we develop the proficiency further we will be capable to study wind flows in increasing detail and makeweathermaps of smaller planet . Ultimately this proficiency will allow us to fancy theweather systemson Earth - alike planet . ”
Maybe we ’ll find another snug blue marble somewhere out there . But in light of interstellar forecast # 1 , I ’m feeling fairly darn thankful to live on Earth .
[ show apre - printof the scientific composition at arXiv ]
Top : Artist ’s concept of HD189733 , a “ red-hot Jupiter ” that sit down very closely to its parent star . Image Credit : Mark A. Garlick / University of Warwick
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