Smelly planet 'reeks of rotten eggs'

A distant planet named HD 189733 b has been found to have a peculiar smell, reminiscent of rotten eggs. This discovery was made by scientists using data from the James Webb Space Telescope. The planet's atmosphere is rich in hydrogen sulphide, a gas that is also present on Jupiter and is known for its foul odor. HD 189733 b is characterized by extremely high temperatures and weather conditions that resemble raining glass. Dr. Guangwei Fu, an astrophysicist at Johns Hopkins University who led the research, explained that if our noses could function at 1000 degrees Celsius, we would detect the smell of rotten eggs on this planet. The findings were published in a scientific journal.

Although hydrogen sulphide is one of the gases that could indicate the presence of alien life, researchers are not searching for life on HD 189733 b because it is a gas giant, similar to Jupiter, and is too hot to support life as we know it. However, the detection of hydrogen sulphide is a significant step towards understanding the formation of planets. The James Webb Space Telescope is providing new insights into the chemical compositions of distant planets, thereby aiding astronomers in learning more about their origins.

Dr. Fu mentioned that the telescope has been a game changer in the field of astronomy, delivering capabilities that have even exceeded expectations. He plans to continue using the telescope to study more planets in the future. The discovery of hydrogen sulphide on HD 189733 b is one of the first detections of this gas on an exoplanet, or a planet outside our solar system. This finding is helping scientists piece together the puzzle of how planets form and evolve over time.