Hot Water on a Hot Jupiter

For years, astronomers have looked for water in our solar system and beyond. Water is essential to life, and NASA for research of life as one of its main activities. Recently astronomers using the Spitzer Space Telescope has detected signs of water on the planet HD 189733b, a gas giant Jupiter or 63 light years from Earth warm. The atmosphere also contains carbon dioxide and methane.

Carl Grillmair Spitzer Science Center in Pasadena, California, and colleagues reported their findings in a letter published in the journal Nature. They used the "secondary eclipse" method to distinguish between infrared light from the planet and its sun.

The planet orbits its sun closer than Jupiter so that the chances of finding signs of life are quite rare.

In astronomy, "Goldilock Zone" refers to a region of space where life might be possible. Lost in a forest, Goldilocks finds refuge in a cabin and discovers three bowls of porridge. Carl Sagan was known to describe the Earth as a pale blue dot. However, Guillermo Gonzalez and Jay Richards wrote a book The Privileged Planet to refute Sagan theory that our planet is not special.

Astronomers have discovered over 300 exoplanets, or planets outside our solar system. In most cases, giant hot Jupiters orbiting very close to its sun. Goldilocks would find these hot spots.

The Earth is a unique planet.