Astronomers at the Center for Space Exochemistry Data at the University College London in the United Kingdom used data from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope to find water vapor in the atmosphere of K2-18b, an exoplanet around a small red dwarf star about 110 light-years away in the constellation Leo. If confirmed by further studies, this will be the only exoplanet known to have both water in its atmosphere and temperatures that could sustain liquid water on a rocky surface. Liquid water would only be possible if the planet turns out to be terrestrial in nature, rather than resembling a small version of Neptune.

Given the high level of activity of its red dwarf star, K2-18b may be more hostile to life as we know it than Earth, as it is likely to be exposed to more high-energy radiation. The planet, discovered by NASA's Kepler Space Telescope in 2015, also has a mass eight times greater than Earth's. That means the surface gravity on this planet would be significantly higher than on our planet.

The team used archive data from 2016 and 2017 captured by Hubble and developed open-source algorithms to analyze the host star's light filtered through K2-18b's atmosphere. The results revealed the molecular signature of water vapor, and also suggest the presence of hydrogen and helium in the planet's atmosphere.

The authors of the paper, published in Nature Astronomy, believe that other molecules, including nitrogen and methane, may be present but they remain undetectable with current observations. Further studies are required to estimate cloud coverage and the percentage of atmospheric water present. A paper from a different team of scientists using Hubble observations has been submitted to the Astronomical Journal.

K2-18b is one of hundreds of "super-Earths"—exoplanets with masses between those of Earth and Neptune—found by Kepler. NASA's TESS mission is expected to detect hundreds more super-Earths in the coming years. The next generation of space telescopes, including the James Webb Space Telescope, will be able to characterize exoplanet atmospheres in more detail.

The Hubble Space Telescope is a project of international cooperation between ESA (the European Space Agency) and NASA. Subscribe for free to Breaking Christian News here

To receive daily emails from Breaking Christian News to your inbox CLICK HERE

'The Resurrection and the Life': Navy Vet Comes Back to Life After Family Prays

Are Weight Loss Medications Right for You? Pros and Cons of GLP-1s

Company Issues Voluntary Recall of This Specific Kind of 'Pedigree' Canned Dog Food

Prayer Alert: Hundreds of Thousands of Acres Burn as Fires Spread in West

HHS Announces $281 Million to Expand Addiction and Mental Health Programs

Results: In Turkey, Trump Ordered a Trade Halt with Spain, Now They've Suddenly Agreed to Boost NATO Payments

As Billboards Promoting 'Birth Tourism' Pop Up Along Border, Trump to Ask SCOTUS to Reconsider 'Insane Decision' in Birthright Citizenship Case

Charlie Kirk Conspiracy Theories Suddenly Disappear as Video Evidence is Shown in Court

Donnie Wahlberg: 'The Most Important Thing I Ever Did Was to Give My Life to Christ'

'Fourth of July Miracle': Missing 4-Year-Old Found Alive after Walking Nearly Five Miles Along Oregon Coast

Christian Hollywood Star Exposes the Perverse, 'Demonic' Fraud Inside Foster Care System

Brazilian Judge Sentences Parents to Prison for Homeschooling Their Daughters

Little Sisters of the Poor Return to Court Again over Obama Contraception Mandate

WATCH: State Fails to Investigate Daycares with No Children Despite Media Reports

Trump on Iran Ceasefire, MoU: 'I Think It's Over'—US Retaliates after IRGC Attacks Civilian Ships

'Young Washington' Delivers Record Opening Weekend for Angel Studios

After an Emotional Loss to Belgium, the US Men's Team Continued to Give God the Glory

A 'Miracle': CCP Releases Pastor Ezra Jin

House Speaker Johnson Braces for a High-Stakes July with Everything on the Line

Why the NATO Summit in Ankara Matters to the US