Using data from ESA’s Extraterrestrial Characterization Satellite (CHEOPS) and several other ESA and NASA missions, astronomers detected a rainbow-like ” We found signs of the “Glory Effect.” This effect occurs when light is reflected from a perfectly uniform but previously unknown cloud of material. The “glory effect” is often observed on Earth, but it has only been detected once on another planet, Venus. If confirmed, this first exoglory effect would reveal more about the nature of this mysterious exoplanet and provide exciting insights into how we can better understand strange, distant worlds. will provide. WASP-76b is the superhot Jupiter located 640 light-years away in the constellation Pisces. First discovered in 2016, this exoplanet orbits the F-type star WASP-76 once every 1.8 days. WASP-76b is tidally locked to its star. Rotating around its own axis takes the same amount of time as it takes to orbit its parent star. On the day side, the planet receives thousands of times more radiation from its star than Earth receives from the Sun. Daytime temperatures can rise to more than 2,400 degrees Celsius (4,352 degrees Fahrenheit), high enough to vaporize metals. However, nighttime temperatures are much cooler at 1,316 degrees Celsius (2,400 degrees Fahrenheit). Here, the elements that form Earth’s rocks melt and evaporate, condensing on the slightly cooler night side to form iron clouds from which rain of molten iron drips. But astronomers were puzzled by the apparent asymmetry, or wobble, of WASP-76b’s “limbs,” or outermost regions as it passes in front of its host star. “WASP-76b is being ‘inflated’ by intense radiation from its star,” he said. Monica Lendl, astronomer at the University of Geneva. “That means it’s 10% less massive than its cousin Jupiter, yet almost twice the size.” “What we have to keep in mind is the incredible scale of what we’re observing,” he says. Matthew Standing, ESA astronomer. “WASP-76b is a very hot gas giant planet hundreds of light years away, probably raining molten iron.” Despite the turmoil, we seem to have found a sign of glory. It’s an incredibly weak signal. In this study, the authors analyzed data from a variety of ESA and NASA missions, including CHEOPS, TESS, Hubble, and Spitzer. CHEOPS carefully watched WASP-76b pass in front of and around a sun-like star. After 23 observations over three years, the data showed a surprising increase in the amount of light emanating from the planet’s eastern “terminator” (the boundary where night and day meet). This allowed astronomers to disentangle the signal and narrow down its origin. “This is the first time that such a large change, or ‘phase curve,’ in the brightness of an exoplanet has been detected,” he said. Olivier Demanjon, astronomer at the Spanish Institute of Astronomical Sciences in Portugal. “This discovery led us to hypothesize that this unexpected glow could be caused by a strong, locally anisotropic (directional) reflection, or the glory effect.” “Never before have we seen such colorful concentric rings on an extrasolar object,” he said. Thomas Wilson is an astronomer at the University of Warwick. If future studies confirm the glory of this first exoplanet, WASP-76b will become a truly unique object, providing a valuable tool for understanding the atmospheres of distant exoplanets and their potential habitability. It will be a great tool. ” Confirmation of the Glory effect implies the presence of a cloud consisting of perfectly spherical droplets that lasts for at least three years or is continuously replenished. For these clouds to persist, the atmospheric temperature must also remain stable over time. An interesting and detailed look at what’s going on with WASP-76b. Importantly, the ability to detect small wonders like this at great distances is teaching scientists and engineers how to detect other less visible but important phenomena. For example, sunlight reflects off liquid lakes and oceans, which is a requirement for habitability. “More evidence is needed to confirm that this fascinating ‘extra light’ is a rare glow,” he said. Teresa Luftinger, project scientist for ESA’s upcoming Ariel mission. “Follow-up observations by the NIRSPEC instrument aboard NASA/ESA/CSA’s James Webb Space Telescope may prove just that.”Other exoplanets have revealed even more brilliant colors. It may be found. ”

source: https://www.aanda.org/articles/aa/full_html/2024/04/aa48270-23/aa48270-23.html