Pop Rocks

November 27, 2008 1:47 PM

The Little Fox has gas.Giovanna Tinetti using the Hubble Telescope says (in Nature - subscription required) there's Carbon Dioxide in the atmosphere of the Jupiter sized, hot, extrasolar planet HD 189733b. Scientists have also found methane clouds in its atmosphere, as well as water vapor. Tinetti (who looks a bit like Kari Byron from mythbusters if you squint) also found evidence of methane.
posted by Smedleyman (11 comments total)

No way. Only Kari Byron looks like Kari Byron.
posted by dunkadunc at 2:22 PM on November 27, 2008

(who looks a bit like Kari Byron from mythbusters if you squint have a brain injury)
posted by Mr.Encyclopedia at 3:27 PM on November 27, 2008

Also, Scientists really suck at naming things. Black hole? Big Bang? HD 189733b? If this planet were called something cool like Questulon then people would sit up and take more notice.
posted by Mr.Encyclopedia at 3:31 PM on November 27, 2008

Neat. Let us give thanks for the Hubble.
posted by homunculus at 4:14 PM on November 27, 2008

Didn't Kari Byron have gas in one episode?

Seriously, thanks for all the astronomy links today.
posted by Mcable at 4:57 PM on November 27, 2008

Great - some far off planet is recognized and I can't even get a "finger pull" around here.

Srlsy, love the astro links today.
posted by SoFlo1 at 5:08 PM on November 27, 2008

Scientists have also found methane clouds in its atmosphere, as well as water vapor.

I, for one, welcome our new farting, pissing overlords.
posted by PeterMcDermott at 5:08 PM on November 27, 2008

Another gas giant? Man, where are all the desert worlds? We were promised desert worlds.
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 6:10 PM on November 27, 2008

And spice. The spice must flow.
posted by homunculus at 7:41 PM on November 27, 2008

And Chew-Z.
posted by ZenMasterThis at 8:33 PM on November 27, 2008

Another gas giant? Man, where are all the desert worlds? We were promised desert worlds.

Giants are easier to see. We probably won't see many of the little rocky planets until our telescopes have improved a few decades further.
posted by Xezlec at 9:26 PM on November 27, 2008