Why Some Giant Planets Don’t Appear To Have Water

Space





Photo credit:

Artist's impression of the ten gas giants whose atmospheres were investigated. Clockwise from top left: WASP-12b, WASP-6b, WASP-31b, WASP-39b, HD 189733b, HAT-P-12b, WASP-17b, WASP-19b, HAT-P-1b and HD 209458b. ESA/Hubble/NASA

The largest study ever conducted of the atmospheres of planets circling other stars has revealed how different they can be and explained why some appear to contain so little water – and it seems to be that clouds are to blame, or a lack thereof.

The findings help us understand the circumstances that influence giant planets' evolution, and confirm our suspicion that water is common even on planets so hot it can only exist as a gas.