An extrasolar planet has a 'rainbow' similar to Earth

A special phenomenon seemingly unique to Earth was suddenly discovered on a distant planet in the constellation Pisces.

A special phenomenon that seemed to be unique to Earth was suddenly discovered on a distant planet in the constellation Pisces.

Using data from the European Space Agency's (ESA ) ExOplanet Satellite (CHEOPS) as well as several other ESA and NASA missions, astronomers have detected signs of a multiple halo ring in the atmosphere of WASP-76b , a "hot Jupiter" planet .

This phenomenon occurs when light reflects off clouds that are made of a completely homogeneous substance but has not been completely understood until now.

Picture 1 of An extrasolar planet has a 'rainbow' similar to Earth

Planet WASP-76b - (Photo: ESA).

Similar halos are seen frequently on Earth, but have only been observed on another planet, Venus.

This is the first time this phenomenon has been identified on a planet outside the solar system. It can reveal many interesting things about the atmosphere of the world located 640 light years away from us called WASP- 76b.

The said effect can only exist in the presence of droplet clouds, below which are almost perfectly spherical, lasting at least 3 years or replenished.

For such clouds to exist requires that the planet have an atmosphere as stable over time as Earth's.

Even more interesting, this was found in a tidally locked planet - a special type of planet because it is located too close to the star, so it is grabbed by the star's gravity, always facing the star. , like how the Moon always turns one side towards the Earth.

That creates a permanent daytime side and a permanent nightside.

According to a team of scientists from ESA, the Portuguese Institute of Astrophysics and Space Sciences and the University of Geneva (Switzerland), WASP-67b is a special world in many ways.

Its daytime temperature reaches over 2,400 degrees Celsius, high enough to evaporate metals. But the night temperature is much lower - 1,316 degrees Celsius.

Here, the elements that make up Earth's rocks melt and evaporate, condensing only on the slightly cooler night side, creating iron clouds that drip molten iron rain.

WASP-67b's atmosphere is also inflated by gravity from its parent star. The planet was originally only about 10% the size of Jupiter, but this swelling has caused it to become nearly twice as large.

All of the above interesting details show that in the universe, the planetary world is extremely diverse.

Update 09 April 2024
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