This week, scientists revealed an intriguing discovery regarding a nearby exoplanet: a planetary body that resembles Jupiter has an offensive odor.
Scientists have identified an exoplanet known as HD 189733 b that includes hydrogen sulfide, a colorless gas with an intense, egg-like odor that is released by decomposing organic materials. This discovery was made after analyzing data collected by the James Webb Space Telescope.
According to a study published in Nature on Monday, scientists discovered carbon dioxide, oxygen, water, and heavy metals in addition to hydrogen sulfide in the atmosphere of the unusual exoplanet.
“Hydrogen sulfide is a major molecule that we didn’t know was there. We predicted it would be, and we know it’s in Jupiter, but we hadn’t really detected it outside the solar system,” Astrophysicist Guangwei Fu of Johns Hopkins headed the research team, Fu stated in a press statement.
The report states that exoplanet HD 189733 b, which was first found in 2005, is situated in the constellation Vulpecula about 65 light years from Earth.
Scientists called the exoplanet “hot Jupiter” due to its “scorching temperatures of 1,700 degrees Fahrenheit and is notorious for vicious weather, including raining glass that blows sideways on winds of 5,000 mph,” since it is known for its severe temperatures and “vicious weather,” according to the report.
“We’re not looking for life on this planet because it’s way too hot, but finding hydrogen sulfide is a stepping stone for finding this molecule on other planets and gaining more understanding of how different types of planets form,” Fu stated.
In the future, Fu said his team would monitor sulfur levels on further exoplanets to determine whether or not their position in space is correlated with the chemical compound’s occurrence.
“We want to know how these kinds of planets got there, and understanding their atmospheric composition will help us answer that question,” Fu stated.