The super-Earth 55 Cancri E has been dubbed the "diamond planet," since some evidence suggests the planet may house vast quantities of carbon in its core.
Now, astronomers have detected the makeup of gases in the atmosphere of this world, eight times as massive as our own planet. Analysis reveals the world is shrouded in large quantities of helium and hydrogen, but little water vapor is present in the atmosphere of the alien world.
Exoplanet 55 Cancri E is located 40 light years from the Earth. The star around which it orbits is bright enough to examine the atmosphere of the distant world. This alien planet is classified as a super-Earth. These bodies are significantly larger than our home world, but smaller than gas giants such as Jupiter and Saturn.
"It's the first time that we have been able to find the spectral fingerprints that show the gases present in the atmosphere of a super-Earth. Our analysis of 55 Cancri E's atmosphere suggests that the planet has managed to cling on to a significant amount of hydrogen and helium from the nebula from which it formed," said Angelos Tsiaras, a doctoral student at University College London.
Analysis of light passing through the atmosphere of 55 Cancri E also revealed the presence of hydrogen cyanide, a gas that forms prussic acid when placed in contact with water. This discovery suggests the atmosphere contains a high ratio of carbon to oxygen.
This hellish world orbits so close to its companion star that one year on the planet lasts just 18 hours. This results in surface temperatures in excess of 3,600 degrees Fahrenheit.
Twice before, astronomers have used the Hubble Telescope to probe the atmosphere of planets surrounding other stars. However, no information was apparent from spectral readings taken of the exoplanets under study. This time, the Wide Field Camera 3 was quickly scanned across the surface of the star, and computer algorithms were utilized to extract a spectral signature of starlight passing through the atmosphere of the alien world.
Perhaps the planet in our solar system most like 55 Cancri E would be Venus. The two worlds each feature scorching surface temperatures and acidic, toxic atmospheres.
Analysis of the atmosphere of 55 Cancri E was published in the Astrophysical Journal.
