Overseas: Researchers have now discovered sodium and calcium ions in the planet's atmosphere, based on observations from the Gemini North Telescope, located at the top of Mauna Kea, Hawaii. The new findings show that the planet WASP-76b is hotter than scientists ever thought.


First discovered in 2016, the hottest planet, about the size of Jupiter, orbits a star in the constellation Pisces and is 640 light-years from Earth. Because it is so close to its star, WASP-76b can orbit the Earth in just 1.8 days and absorbs thousands of times more radiation than it receives from the Sun.

Icon shows night view of WASP-76b with iron rain

The planet does not have an angry rotation, which means that one side of it is always facing its star. Such a journey is similar to our moon orbiting the earth. The daytime portion of the planet facing the stars has a temperature above 2,426 degrees Celsius. The temperature at this time of day is hot enough to convert molecules into atoms and iron into vapor, forming iron vapor. Strong winds sent it to the colder part of the planet, where the temperature was about 1,315 degrees Celsius.

Iron vapor penetrates the clouds, causing liquid iron precipitation, which forms the iron that can be observed in its atmosphere. Understanding the chemical elements of the extrasolar planet's atmosphere will help astronomers understand its climate and environment.