Scientists surprised as this dwarf planet found to have methane gas in new space study

​Astronomers studying the outer solar system have reported a new finding about Makemake, one of the dwarf planets beyond Neptune. According to recent research, the icy body shows evidence of methane gas, a discovery that has surprised scientists who have been tracking its atmosphere and surface for years.

Methane gas found on Makemake

Makemake, found in 2005, is one of the five officially classified dwarf planets in the solar system, in addition to Pluto, Haumea, Eris, and Ceres. It is located in the Kuiper Belt, a region that is replete with icy bodies and small planetary bodies. The new research found that Makemake has methane gas in its tenuous atmosphere or surface layers.

Methane is a simple carbon-containing molecule, and its discovery on such a far-off and cold object has opened up new questions concerning the chemistry and conditions of dwarf planets.

Researchers employed powerful telescopes and equipment to examine the reflected light from Makemake. These observations revealed methane signatures, just as in Pluto and other ice bodies.

Why this finding matters

The find is significant because methane can tell us about the past and composition of planetary bodies. In Makemake, the gas may be due to processes in its icy crust or due to interactions between its surface and solar radiation.

Although methane is widespread in the solar system, its identification on Makemake came as a surprise. Scientists had long argued whether the dwarf planet even has an atmosphere.

The new findings indicate that it could possibly have a very thin one, or at least surface materials emitting gas into space.

Comparing Makemake to Pluto and other dwarf planets

Pluto, the brightest-known dwarf planet, also contains methane and nitrogen in its atmosphere. The similarity between Pluto and Makemake can assist scientists in recognizing how such far-away worlds develop and evolve over time. 

Makemake is smaller and colder, though, than Pluto, so the existence of methane is particularly unexpected because gas molecules would tend to be released more easily into space in such an environment. 

Researchers now hope to understand what processes might be retaining methane on Makemake or filling it up. They contain different surface compositions, as is the case with other dwarf planets like Haumea and Eris, making the discovery show just how varied these icy worlds are.

Next steps for researchers

Astronomers will continue to monitor Makemake with Earth-based and space-based telescopes. Future missions might also offer more firsthand data on its surface and atmosphere, although no spacecraft has yet visited the dwarf planet. The detection of methane contributes to the increasing list of surprises from the Kuiper Belt. Every new find assists researchers in piecing together the origins of the outer solar system and how its icy worlds develop.

Dwarf planets such as Makemake are tiny relative to Earth but contribute significantly to knowledge of the solar system. Research on them gives hints concerning the material from which planets are built as well as the chemistry that occurs far from the Sun. For the present, the methane discovery on Makemake continues to be among the most fascinating findings from current space research, throwing open new queries on what exists in the farthest horizons of our solar system.