Observing a light phenomenon on an exoplanet could be a “fame” that could help further research into weather and climate on other planets in the future.
Cross. Astronomers find this an unusual observation Cross Institute for Space Research (IMF) Involved: For the first time, with assistance ESA Cheops Space Telescope on an outcrop (Annotation: A planet outside our solar system) is called “the glory“Registered. It's a An annular, rainbow-like light phenomenon. It is very common on Earth and occurs under special conditions, especially on mountain peaks in foggy weather. So far, glories have also been detected on our neighboring planet Venus.
How is a “glory” created?
When a glory occurs Scattered light on the surface of small, finely dispersed clouds or mist droplets is The shape of the cloud particles creates rings of intense color. Each magnificence is unique depending on the composition of the planet's atmosphere and the colors of the starlight shining on it. It is difficult to observe such a phenomenon in other planets. A nearby star must shine directly on the planet and the observer must be properly aligned.
Hell gas giant
Estimated data from Cheops now suggests that this phenomenon also occurs on exoplanets.WASP-76b“If this turns out to be true, it will reveal more about the nature of this enigmatic exoplanet. “Seeing weather phenomena like this is very exciting for a researcher. I am very excited to see what we will discover in the future,” says the IWF exoplanet researcher Patricio Cubillos.
WASP-76b
The exoplanet is WASP-76b 637 light years from Earth and referred to as “hot as hell Jupiter”. One side of the planet constantly facing the Sun reaches a temperature of 2,400 degrees Celsius. Here the materials that make up rocks on Earth melt and evaporate and fall back down as rain. In 23 observations over three years, a surprising increase in the amount of light from the eastern day-night boundary was observed as the planet passed in front of its sun. Scientists consider it a “glory”, although this effect occurred in a specific place and the asymmetry it creates was surprising.
Further observations should now confirm the suspected glory effect. It means that in turn Presence of clouds Close, will remain for at least three years or will be continuously replenished. From this, conclusions can be drawn Temperature and weather of the planet To be pulled. This will enable more precise measurements in the future, which could potentially detect lakes and oceans on exoplanets. After all, liquid water is a prerequisite for life as we know it.
“The more we learn about climate conditions and the diversity of planetary cloud composition, the better we understand the climate and influence of clouds on our Earth.”
Christian HellingIMF Director
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