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Nature 422, 124-125 (13 March 2003) | doi:10.1038/422124a

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Astronomy: Atmosphere out of that world

David Charbonneau

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A planet orbiting very close to a Sun-like star is apparently enveloped by an extended atmosphere of hydrogen atoms, and may be losing mass because of the intense radiation from the parent star.

Of the one hundred or so planets known to orbit nearby Sun-like stars, one is unique. Its name is HD209458b, and the plane of its orbit is fortuitously tilted so that, once every revolution, observers on Earth see the planet in eclipse — in 'transit' — in front of its star.