The molecule chromium hydride is usually found in stars but was discovered in the atmosphere of the hot Jupiter WASP-31b, which is one of the lightest exoplanets ever seen.
The discovery of such a metal hydride — a metal bonded to hydrogen to form a new compound — in the atmosphere of an alien planet could allow scientists to gauge the temperatures of worlds outside the"Chromium hydride molecules are very temperature sensitive," research lead author Laura Flagg, a research associate at Cornell University in New York,
This proximity to the host star, called WASP-17, causes extreme temperatures on the hot Jupiter of around 2,060 degrees Fahrenheit , as confirmed by Flagg and her team. That temperature is just right to host chromium hydride molecules. By comparison, a marshmallow has a density of 0.21 grams per cubic centimeter. So WASP-17b, one of the lightest exoplanets ever discovered, is actually less dense than a marshmallow. The team of astronomers spotted chromium hydride in the atmosphere of WASP-17b while using high-resolution spectroscopy. Elements and chemical compounds absorb light at specific wavelengths, leaving their characteristic fingerprints in the spectra of light coming from a star, which can be assessed with spectroscopy.
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