Potassium planet

This is a view of the Gran Telescopio Canarias in Spain’s Canary Islands. With its 10.4-meter diameter mirror, the telescope has more light-collecting area than any other. It was used by University of Florida astronomers to analyze light passing through the upper atmosphere of the giant planet HD 80606 b, about 190 light years from Earth, and determine that its atmosphere contains the element potassium.

(Photo by: Miguel Briganti/SMM/IAC)
View larger image. To request a print-quality image, email newsdesk@ufl.edu.
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