Hubble's Breakthrough Discovery Reveals Water Vapor in the Atmosphere of an Exoplanet

Dubbed GJ 9827d, approximately twice the diameter of Earth some 97 light years away, it's the smallest exoplanet where water vapor has been directly detected in the atmosphere

This is an artist's concept of the exoplanet GJ 9827d, the smallest exoplanet where water vapor has been detected in the atmosphere - Image Credit: NASA/ESA/Leah Hustak (STScI)/Ralf Crawford (STScI)

In the ongoing exploration of distant celestial bodies, astronomers have made a significant stride by detecting water vapor in the atmosphere of an exoplanet. This breakthrough, facilitated by the Hubble Space Telescope carries profound implications for multiple facets of astronomical research. The identification of water vapor not only aids in assessing the potential habitability of these remote planets but also offers insights into planetary formation processes and showcases the advancements in observational technologies.