NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope and James Webb succeeded in discovering more endless secrets of the universe, as each succeeded in revealing the existence of two planets outside the solar system that are considered water planets, due to the large area of water that covers these two planets.
Astronomers have previously discovered more than 5,000 planets outside the solar system, but the information obtained by space agencies in this regard revealed that the two recently discovered planets are water worlds, with oceans 500 times deeper than the oceans on Earth, according to Digitartlends.
Research shows that up to half the size of planets can be composed of water, which raises questions regarding planets of this size and type.
Research on these two planets, Kepler-138 c and d, revealed that they are very different in nature and that much of their entire volume is likely composed of water.
“Imagine larger versions of Europa or Enceladus, the water-rich moons that orbit Jupiter and Saturn, but come very close to their star,” said lead author Caroline Piaulet of the Trottier Institute for Exoplanet Research. “Instead of an icy surface, they would have large envelopes of Water vapor.”
However, these planets wouldn’t really be similar to anywhere in our solar system because the planets in question have very hot atmospheres. Instead they likely have a dense atmosphere of vapor with liquid water under high pressure.
Although this seems unusual, we may find more similar worlds in the future, Beneke said, “As our instruments and technologies become sensitive enough to find and study planets far from their stars, we may start to find a lot of these water worlds.”
