Exoplanet K2-18b (Artist’s Impression)
This artist’s impression shows the planet K2-18b, it’s host star and an accompanying planet in this system. K2-18b is now the only super-Earth exoplanet known to host both water and temperatures that could support life.
UCL researchers used archive data from 2016 and 2017 captured by the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope and developed open-source algorithms to analyse the starlight filtered through K2-18b’s atmosphere. The results revealed the molecular signature of water vapour, also indicating the presence of hydrogen and helium in the planet’s atmosphere.
Credit:ESA/Hubble, M. Kornmesser
About the Image
Id: | heic1916a |
Type: | Artwork |
Release date: | 11 September 2019, 19:00 |
Related releases: | heic1916 |
Size: | 6000 x 3500 px |
About the Object
Name: | K2-18b |
Type: | Milky Way : Planet |
Category: | Exoplanets |