In the vast cosmos lies a peculiar and intriguing planet that piques the interests of astronomers and space-enthusiasts alike. This extraordinary celestial body, known as TrES-2b, is one of the darkest planets ever discovered, possessing the remarkable ability to absorb 99.9% of the light that falls on it.
The planet gets its distinctive name from the project responsible for its discovery—Trans-Atlantic Exoplanet Survey. The project used a method called “transit”, which involves looking at the periodic dimming of a star's brightness when a celestial body passes in front of it. Such a method has been used to discover many planets such as WASP-12b, Kepler-22b, KELT-9b etc. By studying these transits, scientists can collect critical data about the exoplanet’s orbit, size, and even some of its atmospheric properties.
The Dark Planet lies almost 750 light years away from our solar system orbiting a G-type star, similar to our Sun, in the Draco constellation. Discovered on August 21st, 2006 in the Palomer and Lowell Observatories located in California and Arizona respectively. The planet’s existence was later confirmed by W.M.Keck observatory located in Hawaii.
The Black Planet mass and radius indicate it to be a gas giant similar to our cherished Jupiter. Orbiting its host star at a mere distance of 3 Million miles—much closer than the distance between Mercury and the Sun. This proximity allows the surface of the planet to reach a whopping 1600° Celsius, rivaling the core temperature of Mercury. Due to this rare trait, astronomers have categorized this planet as “Hot Jupiter”.
The Planet’s most peculiar characteristic, its infinitesimally small albedo—the measure of how much sunlight it reflects. The planet reflects less than 1% of the light that strikes it. The main reason for such a small amount of albedo is still unknown. Some theories suggest light absorbing elements such as vaporized sodium, potassium, or gaseous titanium oxide e.t.c. Another theory suggests the absence of reflective clouds due to the high temperatures and close proximity to the host star, giving the planet its alluring and mysterious color.
As our journey through the cosmos continues, aided by advanced tools like the James Webb Space Telescope, we will continue to find unique planets such as TrES-2b, if not more notable ones. Whether TrES-2b will retain its title as the darkest planet forever remains to be seen, but its unique characteristics make it a fascinating subject of study in our quest to understand the universe and, in turn, ourselves.
Well written! I think I’ve just found my new favorite planet 😍