Astronomers announced the discovery of an incredibly reflective exoplanet, located over 260 light years away from Earth. This intriguing planet, known as LTT9779b, exhibits unique characteristics such as metal clouds that rain drops of titanium. Observations made by Europe’s Cheops space telescope indicate that the planet reflects approximately 80 percent of the light from its host star. This level of reflectivity makes LTT9779b the most reflective exoplanet ever observed, comparable to the brightness of Venus.
LTT9779b has an exceptionally short orbital period, completing one orbit around its star in just 19 hours. The planet’s close proximity to its star results in extreme temperatures, with the side facing the star reaching a scorching 2,000 degrees Celsius. These high temperatures prevent the formation of clouds on the planet, despite its peculiar composition of metal clouds that rain drops of titanium.
