Distant planet with iron raindrops found (clouds and fog made of molten iron)

CNN ^

[spetznaz]

SEATTLE (AP) -- Using a new technique that will be used to search for Earthlike planets, astronomers have found a distant extrasolar planet, a bizarre place of torrid heat, with clouds and raindrops made of iron.

A team from the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics found the planet orbiting a star 5,000 light years away by detecting the slight dimming of light caused as the planet moved between the star and telescopes on Earth.

The sophisticated technique was compared to spotting the shadow cast by a mosquito flying in front of a searchlight two hundred miles away.

Because it is so close to its star, the new planet is thought to have an atmospheric temperature of about 3,100 degrees F, enough to vaporize most metals.

"This is the hottest planet that we know about," said Sasselov. "It is hot enough to have an iron fog and to rain hot iron droplets."

He said the new planet would be a place of violence, with a powerful jet stream whipping the clouds and loosing showers of molten iron.

[Darksheare]

NO! *Said in echoing voice while falling into the abyss*
We must find some way to expunge the alien life-form!

[desertcry]

.....find a way to expunge the alien life-form Yes, but this alien sticks like crazy glue, and will require quite a bit of work to exorcize. Sorry I could not help you in the 2000 election, I live too far away. But in 2004 or 2008, I will be waiting. I don't think she can control her alien ego not to run for the ultimate office.

[JoeSixPack1]

Oh great, now I'll be singin' Innagoddadavita all day...:-(

thump thump datta da ta thump thump....

[Darksheare]

*Brightens up*
You're right, the Hitlery cannot control it's urge to draw closer to those in power and places of power.

[Fredgoblu]

compared to spotting the shadow cast by a mosquito flying in front of a searchlight two hundred miles away

Stupid question, but how do we know that there wasn't a "mosquito" somewhere between the telescope and the star? To think that there is absolutely nothing in the viewfinder over that 29.4 quadrillion mile distance is just a little presumptious, wouldn't you think?

[CougarGA7]

I say we give this planet to the Palestinians for a new homeland.

[HiTech RedNeck]

It was buzzing around its star at a rate of once every 29 hours. Talk about a year passing quickly.

[Eternal_Bear]

It ain't so bad at night time though. Wearing sweaters is recommended.

[Bob J]

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[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

I wonder if it could be classed as a "dry" heat.

[Erasmus]

You see? That's what happens when you let people drive SUVs for a million years.

[jla]

...temperature of about 3,100 degrees F, enough to vaporize most metals.

This is not true.
At 3100 degrees metals certainly would be well past liquidous temp., but they wouldn't vaporize.

[DWSUWF]

"...Facinating thing to me in the article is they have already found more than 100 planets around other stars. I grew up in a world (Earth) where they constantly debated whether ANY other stars had planets, and there were all kinds of theories about why it might be such a rare occurence..."

I made precisely this same point to my kids the other day. (in response to my first reading of this announcement)

They take so many things, good and bad alike, for granted that would have been considered outlandish when I was a kid.

[Chemnitz]

"Iron tears down Pluto's cheeks."

[FreedomCalls]

But the low humidity makes it feel less hot.

[BrucefromMtVernon]

That planet sounds like it's Hillary Territory. Actually, I believe Hillary comes from the 12th Planet in our own solar system: Nibiru, the home planet of the Nephilim.