Artist's view of the Exoplanet HD 189733b - Exoplanet HD 189733b - Artist's view of...

Artist's view of the Exoplanet HD 189733b - Exoplanet HD 189733b - Artist's view of the transit of the Exoplanet HD 189733b, a hot Jupiter (gas-like planet very close to its star), in front of its star. HD 189733b was discovered in 2005 in the constellation Little Fox. Using the Hubble space telescope, astronomers have detected carbon dioxide and monoxide in the atmosphere of this planet. Previously, methane and water vapour had already been detected in his atmosphere. But with a surface temperature of over 900 degrees, this planet remains too hot to shelter life. This is an artist's impression of the Jupiter - size extrasolar planet, HD 189733b, being eclipsed by its parent star. Astronomers using the Hubble Space Telescope have measured carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide in the planet's atmosphere. The planet is a “” hot Jupiter,””” which is so close to its star that it completes an orbit in only 2.2 days. The planet is too hot for life as we know it. But under the right conditions, on a more Earth - like world, carbon dioxide can indicate the presence of extraterrestrial life. This observation demonstrates that chemical biotracers can be detected by space telescope observations