Space & Astronomy

Hubble finds blue planet with glass rain

By T.K. Randall
July 13, 2013 ·  16 comments

Image Credit: NASA At a distance of 63 light years, the planet HD189733b possesses a deep azure colour that might at first glimpse seem like an indication that it is very similar to the Earth. Far from being a water-rich haven however, the new planet is a gas giant with an atmosphere of 1,000 degrees Celsius and winds up to 7,000km per hour. This distant world is even pelted by searing glass shards raining down from the heavens.

"Measuring its colour is a real first - we can actually imagine what this planet would look like if we were able to look at it directly," said Professor Frederic Pont. To do this, astronomers observed the changes in the light spectrum from the host star when the planet passed behind it.

Source: BBC News | Comments (16)

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