The Jupiter-sized gas giant named TrES-2b was found using NASA’s Kepler spacecraft, which has the capacity to measure light, even in extremely distant objects. However, TrES-2b reflects less than one percent of light shined upon it, making it the darkest planet or moon ever discovered thus far.
“TrES-2b is considerably less reflective than black acrylic paint, so it’s truly an alien world,” said lead author and astronomer David Kipping of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA).
TrES-2b is heated up to temperatures greater than 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit by its star, which it orbits from a mere distance of 3 million miles. This planet is unique as it does not have any clouds similar to planets like Jupiter, cloaked by clouds of ammonia. Rather, high temperatures prohibit any clouds from forming, causing a mystery as to why the planet is so dark and unreflective.
What said astronomers forgot to mention, it’s Giedi Prime. All of you who haven’t read or watched DUNE(David Lynch or SyFy miniseries style) need to get caught up on this.
In the meantime, science has found House Harkonnen lurking in The Black. This means, we’ve got to get on that traveling without moving business and bring the rain to Arrakis.*
*This post is heavily saturated in nerd references. Follow those links if you feel confused.
via IBT, IPOD
