European astronomers have discovered an extrasolar planet about the size of Neptune that they say is covered with hot, solid water.
The planet called GJ 436b is orbiting a cool, red star that is 30 light-years away. According to the astronomers the planet is not a very welcoming one, it is hot since it is very close to its parent star and is also under tremendous pressure because of its weight.
The most startling discovery is that the planet is covered with hot but frozen water. The reason for this is that the close proximity of the parent star heats up the water and the enormous pressure freezes it.
Astronomers also stated that the conditions there are hostile and there is little possibility that life can thrive in such circumstances, adding to the woes the planet is also covered with a blanket of hydrogen. Still life thrives in the most hostile places on Earth where it gets water, so the presence of water can host some form of life on the planet.
The planet was first discovered in 2004 by a team of researchers who observed it indirectly, at that time not much information was available but now researchers are in a position to figure out more details of the planet.
Using a Swiss-based telescope the Geneva team determined the size of the planet by watching it pass in front of its star.
While other extrasolar planets may seem gas giants like Jupiter, this one appears to be smaller, but not small enough to have a rocky center like Earth.
The mass and radius of the planet suggests that it is mainly made of water ice. The planet is orbiting the M-dwarf star GJ 436.
This star is 100 times dimmer than our Sun having half the Sun’s mass.
Via: MSNBC
