Posted on 08/12/2011 1:25:13 PM PDT by Red Badger
Kepler has found the darkest known planet in universe--a Jupiter-sized exoplanet some 750 light-years away that is so black that it reflects just one percent of the light that reaches it. TrES-2b is so black that it’s darker than coal, or any other planet or moon that we’ve yet discovered. It’s less reflective than black acrylic paint. To summarize: it’s really, really black.
But TrES-2b is not completely black. It emits an extremely faint red glow, like that of a hot ember. And it turns out that heat is the main culprit behind this darkest of dark planets. TrES-2b orbits its star at a distance of just 3 million miles (by comparison, we’re about 93 million miles from our sun), which leads to surface temperatures on TrES-2b of more than 1,800 degrees.
That’s too hot for the formation of ammonia clouds that would reflect some of that incoming radiation as they do on Jupiter. Rather, TrES-2b’s atmosphere is made up of things like vaporized sodium, potassium, and titanium oxide--things that actually compound the problem by absorbing heat. But even these don’t fully explain the planet’s extreme blackness, which is still puzzling astronomers. There's some kind of strange chemistry going on out there that even Kepler can't see.
“Blackest Planet Ever Found, Absorbs Nearly 100% of Light That Reaches It”
Big Deal.
We’ve got a government that absorbs nearly 140% of the money that reaches it.
Top that Mr. Planet!
So much jumping to conclusions...
The planet is not necessarily black.
It could very easily be that, the light being reflected from the planet is being blocked by some sort of cloud, or ring-like structure, like we have around Saturn. We can’t see the cloud or the ring, and the only thing that we can surmise from the calculations is that, there is something planet-like around a star, whose light is not being seen through our instruments.
Other than that, it could also be a planet full of Draculas, or a vampire planet, where those creatures wanted total darkness all day long and got tired of having to sleep in caskets.
Or, it could be a “black gold” planet, oil that is. And the answer to all of our energy problems. Are you listening Exxon?
Probably Uranus
On what planet is titanium oxide black?
Apparently this one, I guess.
Or as my neighbor used to say, blacker than coalies ass.
As Will Rodgers said, all I know is what I read on the internets: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titanium%28III%29_oxide
What's wrong with Uranus?
It's infested with Klingons.
Nigel Tufnel: It’s like, how much more black could this be? and the answer is none. None more black.
“Ray Nagin is running for mayor there.”
Is it a Chocolate planet?
Probably? How many black planets have you been to?
Isn’t Uranus brown?
Bowling ball?
All I know is that the sun never shines there - sounds black to me.
Obamus ?
ML/NJ
Yes, but he has disavowed his white side.
Must you?
I was thinking Green Lantern and his oath.
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