The First Atmospheric Rainbow on an Exoplanet?

By Brian Koberlein - April 06, 2024 11:12 AM UTC | Exoplanets
Astronomers think they've detected the first-ever rainbow-like "glory effect" on an exoplanet. The observations were made with ESA's Cheops mission, which helps to pin down the characteristics of known exoplanets, including the ultra-hot Jupiter WASP-76b. When the star's light passes through a planet's atmosphere, it creates colorful concentric rings that have been seen on Earth and even Venus but never on an exoplanet.
Continue reading