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The Strangest Exoplanet Discovered So Far
Looks can be deceiving
Astronomers must have been elated when they first laid eyes on planet HD 189733 b. The planet appeared to be a blue dot hanging around a K-type star. Any time people catch a glimpse of a bright blue planet hanging out in the void, they immediately start thinking they’ve found another Earth. The planet was first discovered in 2005 when exoplanet hunting was a relatively new field. Any blue planet would have raised considerable attention.
But upon further inspection, it became clear that HD 189733 b was not a second Earth. In fact, there are few planets that are as different from Earth as this one. Hidden beneath the calm blue surface, this planet hides some truly horrible secrets.
Fast Facts
Type: Gas Giant
Distance From Star: 0.03126 AU
Distance From Earth: 64 light years
Radius: 1.13x that of Jupiter
Glass Rain
One of the reasons that this planet was so visible is because it contains a large amount of silicate matter in the atmosphere. Glass. The…
