Scientists have recently discovered that an exoplanet named WASP-189b has an atmosphere that is similar to Earth in many ways. This makes WASP-189b the first planet discovered by mankind to have a multi-layered atmosphere.
An exoplanet is a planet that is located outside our solar system.
Till now, almost all the exoplanets that were known to humans had either no atmosphere or a single layer of atmosphere. WASP-189b has become the first exoplanet discovered by humans that has a multi-layered atmosphere similar to Earth.
This massive discovery comes from a team of researchers at the University of Lund, who have also discovered that a complex 3D structured atmosphere is present even in irradiating gas planets.
What is so special about WASP-189b?
WASP-189b is an exoplanet that was discovered using the CHEOPS satellite. The estimated distance between Earth and this exoplanet is 322 light-years.
Being approximately 20 times closer to its host star than Earth is to the Sun, the daytime temperatures of WASP-189b are 3200°C, making it a boiling planet.
The atmosphere of WASP-189b contains vapors of heavy minerals like titanium, iron, manganese, vanadium, chromium, etc.
It is also highly possible that the atmosphere of this exoplanet absorbs light rays coming from its host star.
Its atmosphere also contains Titanium Oxide, which is known to absorb ultraviolet radiation and some other short-wave radiation from the atmosphere. This oxide is very rare on our planet.
Read More -
Comments