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New Delhi In an attempt to search for extraterrestrial life outside the Earth, astronomers have detected water in the atmosphere of a planet at 179 light-years away.
Experts from the Keck Observatory in Maunakea, Hawaii, investigated HR 8799c, a gaseous planet, and made this discovery. The planet is seven times larger than Jupiter. It is one of four stars orbiting the HR 8799 star, discovered at 179 light-years from the constellation Pegasus.
During the investigation, astronomers used advanced instrumentation to confirm the existence of water and a lack of methane in the atmosphere of the planet. They combined high resolution spectroscopy with a technique called adaptive optics, which simplified the blurring effect of the Earth's atmosphere.
Astronomers have used instruments called spectrometers to separate light from the planet once the photo is taken.
The technique revealed a fingerprint of chemicals in the atmosphere, a feat due to the Keck 2 telescope spectrometer called near – infrared cryogenic scale spectrograph (NIRSPEC).
"This type of technology is exactly what we want to use in the future to look for signs of life on a planet similar to Earth," said Dimitri Mawet, an associate professor of astronomy at Caltech.
"We have not arrived yet but we are moving forward."
According to records, the HR 8799 is the only multi-planetary solar system ever photographed. Astronomers now plan to repeat the process for all smaller planets that are closer to their stars.
Scientists at Keck Observatory wrote that the search for chemicals signaling a habitable atmosphere for life on planets similar to Earth, such as water, oxygen and the methane
More new Earth – like planets are expected to be discovered once the 30 – meter telescope is ready by 2020.
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