Scientists have discovered the first mirror planet outside the solar system - it has metallic clouds that reflect the light of a star

Scientists have managed to find a mirror planet.The European Space Agency (ESA) reports that

The discovered object is able to reflect 80% of the light of its star.

What is known

The planet is called LTT9779b.It is located at a distance of 260 light years from us. NASA researchers discovered it in 2020 using the TESS telescope. ESA specialists used the Characterizing ExOPlanet Satellite (CHEOPS) telescope, thanks to which they learned that metal clouds are forming on the planet and raining from titanium.

LTT9779b has a diameter of approximately 50,000 km, whichcomparable to Neptune. An orbit around the star takes less than 20 hours. It is the first mirror planet to be discovered outside the solar system.

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Despite the presence of metallic clouds,which reflect 80% of the star's light, temperatures on LTT9779b can reach 2000 degrees Celsius. But now scientists are wondering how this is possible. It was previously thought that clouds could not form at this temperature.