Scientists Discover First Alien Super-Earth with Permanent Dark and Sun-Lit Sides | WION Podcast
5 Video Views·Jan 17, 2025
In a groundbreaking discovery, scientists have identified a nearby exoplanet classified as a Super-Earth, which exhibits a unique characteristic: one hemisphere is perpetually illuminated by its star, while the opposite side remains in constant darkness. This phenomenon, known as tidal locking, results in extreme temperature variations between the two sides, posing intriguing questions about the planet's atmospheric dynamics and potential habitability.
Welcome to our podcast where we cover unique and interesting stories for you.
In this episode, we will discuss the discovery of the first alien super-Earth
with permanent day and night sides. Scientists, in a path-breaking discovery,
have found a nearby alien planet, which has one side locked in permanent darkness,
while the other side remains in endless sunshine. This is the first major evidence
which proves that the planets beyond our solar system are also tidally locked to their host
stars and have an orbital period exactly similar to the rotational one. This results in one side
of the exoplanet always facing the star and not having any respite from the heat,
and the other side facing perpetual night. The exoplanet, which is known as LHS 3844b,
is close to its host star Batsu, which is seen as uninhabitable to life.
Tidal locking is a cosmic phenomenon which has been observed inside the solar system.
Although it has not been found in any of the planets revolving around the Sun,
tidal locking happens when the rotation cycle of two cosmic bodies slowly synchronizes with
their orbit because of gravitational interaction. However, the findings have finally confirmed that
tidally locked exoplanets also exist outside our solar systems and may be common in the Milky Way.
This thing that has been theoretical now feels real, said astronomer Nicholas Cowan of McGill
University in Canada, while speaking to Nature. This is actually what these planets look like,
he added. As per the research, Kuakua also doesn't have an atmosphere which means that
any temperature readings are related directly to its surface. Headed by astronomer Xintong Liu of
Peking University in China, a global thermal model of an exoplanet was developed by the researchers.
It did not have an atmosphere and the model was compared to the observations of the system,
which were taken using the infrared Spitzer telescope. The scientists were also searching
for evidence of internal heating, which is generated by the ever-changing distortion
that takes place during an asynchronous orbit. The exoplanets, which are not tidally locked,
generate internal stress from the gravity of the star, which constantly tries to change its shape
and heats up the exoplanet from the inside. This heat inside the exoplanet is detected in
infrared light. It was discovered that the exoplanet is far too cool for anything
apart from a tidally locked orbit. That's all from this podcast. Thanks for tuning in.
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