Astronomers: Jupiter-Sized Planet Slowly Dissolving

David PesciJune 26, 20121min
Prof. Seth Redfield and Visiting Prof. Adam Jensen observe exoplanet shedding hot hydrogen

CBS News reports that Seth Redfield, assistant professor of astronomy and Adam Jensen, visiting assistant professor of astronomy, have observed a planet the size of Jupiter called HD 189733b, which is about 63 light years from Earth–a virtual next-door neighbor in astronomical terms, that is dissolving, albeit very, very slowly. Redfield and Jensen have documented that HD 189733b, a gas giant, is discharging significant amounts of atomic hydrogen into space. They reported on this phenomenon in a paper titled “A Detection of Ha In An Exoplanetary Exosphere,” will appear in the June 1 issue of The Astrophysical Journal.

The Wesleyan Connection also ran a story about the discovery.