Scientists Discover Scorching “Planet That Shouldn’t Exist”
Scientists have made a groundbreaking discovery in the realm of exoplanets. A team of researchers announced on Monday the existence of a scorching world known as LTT9779b. This world’s temperature reaches a staggering 2,000 degrees Celsius (over 3,600 degrees Fahrenheit), causing glass-like silicate and metals to boil into clouds.
The discovery was made public by the European Space Agency (ESA). LTT9779b has been hailed as the brightest planet found outside our solar system to date. Scientists describe it as “a planet that shouldn’t exist.”
LTT9779b is approximately the size of Neptune and orbits its star every 19 hours. However, it is the star-facing side of the planet that experiences the extreme temperatures. Initially discovered by NASA in 2020, further investigations were conducted by the European Space Agency’s Cheops space telescope, specialized in spotting exoplanets. The researchers found that LTT9779b’s high reflectiveness, or albedo, posed a conundrum from the beginning.
Most planets and moons have a low albedo, which means they absorb light rather than reflecting it. Exceptions include icy worlds like Europa or cloudy planets like Venus. However, LTT9779b’s atmosphere is so saturated with metals and silicate vapors that droplets form, including raindrops composed of titanium. This leads scientists to believe that despite its extremely high temperatures, clouds made of metal and glass do exist on LTT9779b.
Vivien Parmentier, co-author of the study published in the journal Astronomy and Astrophysics, compared the formation of clouds on the planet to steaming up a bathroom. He said, “To steam up a bathroom, you can either cool the air until water vapor condenses, or you can keep the hot water running until clouds form because the air is so saturated with vapor that it simply can’t hold anymore.”
In addition to the discovery of LTT9779b, the article also highlights some of the latest images captured by the James Webb Space Telescope. The telescope, which has been in operation since July 2022, continues to provide stunning images that contribute to our understanding of the universe.
The scientists involved in the LTT9779b discovery hope to gather more data from the Hubble and James Webb telescopes to gain a fuller picture of this unique planet. These additional observations will shed more light on its mysterious atmosphere and provide further insights into the formation and characteristics of exoplanets.
In a realm of celestial surprises, LTT9779b stands out as an extraordinary find, challenging our previous understanding of planet formation and existence. As scientists continue to explore the universe, it is discoveries like these that fuel their curiosity and deepen our knowledge of the cosmos.