Methane Found In Atmosphere Of Exoplanet GJ 1132B

Astronomers have long been seeking Earth-like planets around stars. One current find is exoplanet GK 1132b, which is not identical to our own planet but may be a close cousin, as noted by its mass and structure.

Scientific American reported that the exoplanet weighs just over one Earth mass. It is found that it circles the star in a warm orbit that makes it similar to that of Venus. However, its diameter is around 50 percent larger to that of Earth. This suggests that it could possess a thick atmosphere, which is recently said to contain water and methane. This recent discovery puts science at a new frontier as researchers examine atmospheres of other Earth-like worlds.

John Southworth, an astrophysics lecturer at Keele University in England and lead author of the paper, shared that, "We have shown that an Earth-mass planet is capable of sustaining a thick atmosphere. This is one step towards investigating whether a planet could host life."

This is not the first time that scientists were able to find atmosphere in an alien world. It happened around a smaller world some 15 years ago. However, GJ 1132b is said to orbit an M-Class Red Dwarf star, which Is common in the Milky Way galaxy. Because of its size and temperature (small and cool), planets are easier to spot around them as they can be separated easily from the star's own light.

Still, their ability to sustain life is uncertain. As News Australia noted, their small sizes tend to have their planets closer in orbit, possibly bringing them within reach of flares. There is also the possibility of a "tidal lock," where one face permanently looks towards the star. It is the same way Earth's Moon presents only one face to the planet.

Bigger telescopes can capture higher resolution images to the light passing through GJ 1132B's atmosphere, which can help detect more of the components present in its atmosphere.