Astronomers Uncover Gigantic Planet with Metallic Clouds

Using data from the Cheops satellite of the European Space Agency, astronomers have made an extraordinary finding. They have come across a planet, named LTT9779 b, which goes against all expectations and, in their opinion, should not exist at all. This exoplanet, similar in size to Neptune, has a remarkably close orbit to its host star, completing a full revolution in under 24 hours.

LTT9779 b- Mirror planet

LTT9779 b is essentially a colossal mirror in space, reflecting an astonishing 80% of the light it receives from its close aunt. For comparison, Venus with its thick cloud layers reflects only 75% of the Sun’s light, while Earth reflects only 30%. The reason for this planet’s incredible reflectivity lies in its atmosphere, which is filled with thick clouds of metal composed mostly of silicate (similar to sand and glass) with traces of titanium.

At first, scientists wondered about the presence of these reflective metal clouds. However, they eventually realized that the cloud formation process is similar to condensation in the bathroom after a hot shower. Just as a bathroom steams due to excess water vapor, LTT9779 b’s atmosphere becomes supersaturated with silicate and metal vapors, leading to the formation of metal clouds in its scorching surroundings.

This “extremely hot Neptune-like” planet is unique because no other similar celestial body has been observed orbiting so close to its star, as published in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics. The prevailing theory was that such planets would lose their atmospheres to the intense radiation from the stars, leaving behind a barren rocky core.

However, the metal clouds of LTT9779 b play an important role in its survival. These clouds effectively reflect a significant portion of starlight and help prevent excessive heating and evaporation of the planet’s atmosphere. In addition, the presence of heavy metals in the atmosphere makes it difficult for the star’s radiation to be blown away from the planet’s protective shell.