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A planet believed to be a Neptune-like world is suspected to be orbiting a hypervelocity star moving at a staggering 1.9 million kilometres per hour, making it the fastest known exoplanetary system ever observed. If confirmed, this would mark the first instance of a planet being found accompanying such a rapidly moving star. The discovery was made by a team of NASA researchers who analysed data that dates back to 2011. The existence of this system was identified through microlensing, a technique predicted by Albert Einstein’s general theory of relativity, which allows the detection of distant cosmic bodies by observing how their gravity bends the light from background stars.

Discovery Through Microlensing

According to a study published in The Astronomical Journal, a signal indicating the presence of two objects was detected. NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center researcher Sean Terry stated to Space.com that the system is thought to consist of a super-Neptune orbiting a low-mass star at a distance comparable to the space between Venus and Earth.

The gravitational lensing effect enabled scientists to determine the mass ratio between the two objects, though the exact measurements remain uncertain. David Bennett, a senior research scientist at the University of Maryland and NASA Goddard, explained to Space.com that calculating the mass ratio is straightforward, but pinpointing the exact masses is significantly more complex due to the system’s distance.

A Star and Its Planet or a Rogue Planet and a Moon?

Data from 2011 suggested that the larger object could either be a low-mass star or a rogue planet, with the smaller body potentially being either a Neptune-like exoplanet or a moon. To clarify this, researchers revisited observational records from the Keck Observatory in Hawaii and the European Space Agency’s Gaia mission.

The team concluded that if the primary object were a rogue planet, it would not be visible without gravitational lensing. If it were a star, its brightness would confirm its identity. The latter scenario was supported by follow-up observations, which identified a bright object approximately 24,000 light-years away near the densely populated central region of the Milky Way.

Potential Intergalactic Journey

The star’s movement over a decade was assessed, revealing its extreme velocity. If additional three-dimensional velocity components are factored in, the speed could exceed 1.3 million miles per hour (600 kilometres per second), surpassing the Milky Way‘s escape velocity. This would suggest that both the star and its exoplanet may eventually leave the galaxy.

University of Maryland researcher Aparna Bhattacharya mentioned to Space.com that further high-resolution observations are planned to determine whether the 2011 lensing event corresponds to this suspected hypervelocity system.

The upcoming launch of the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope in 2027 is expected to provide more insights into hypervelocity stars and their potential planetary companions, with mission lead Sean Terry highlighting its capacity for comprehensive surveys without the need for additional telescopes.

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Scientists Observe Rare Plastic Ice, A Hybrid Form of Ice and Water Under Extreme Conditions

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February 20, 2025

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Scientists Observe Rare Plastic Ice, A Hybrid Form of Ice and Water Under Extreme Conditions

A rare phase of ice, believed to exist deep within icy exoplanets and moons, has been observed in laboratory conditions for the first time. Scientists have identified a hybrid form of water called plastic ice, which exhibits characteristics of both solid ice and liquid water under extreme pressure and temperature. The discovery is expected to provide new insights into the internal composition of celestial bodies such as Neptune and Jupiter’s moon Europa, potentially influencing studies on planetary habitability.

Properties of Plastic Ice Identified Under Extreme Conditions

According to a study published in Nature, plastic ice forms when ice is subjected to temperatures above 177 degree Celsius and pressures exceeding 30,000 bars. This phase retains a cubic crystal lattice, similar to Ice VII, but allows water molecules to rotate while remaining fixed in position. Livia Bove, a physicist at Sapienza University of Rome, explained to Science News that the material exhibits plasticity, meaning it can be deformed while maintaining its structure.

Experiments were conducted at the Institut Laue-Langevin in France, where a neutron beam was used to measure molecular motion under extreme conditions. Water samples were exposed to high-pressure environments, and the scattered neutrons provided data confirming the existence of plastic ice VII. Unlike previous theoretical predictions, researchers found that the molecules rotated in a jerky manner rather than moving freely.

Potential Role in Planetary Evolution

Baptiste Journaux, a planetary scientist at the University of Washington in Seattle, stated to Science News that plastic ice VII may have played a role in shaping the internal structures of moons like Europa and Titan during their early formation. The presence of this phase could have influenced the retention of water within their interiors.

Beyond the solar system, plastic ice VII may exist within deep exoplanetary oceans, potentially affecting nutrient exchange between seabeds and overlying waters. Research into its ability to incorporate salts could enhance understanding of ocean chemistry on distant worlds.

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JWST Identifies Cooling Gas in Phoenix Cluster, Unlocking Star Formation Process

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February 20, 2025

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JWST Identifies Cooling Gas in Phoenix Cluster, Unlocking Star Formation Process

Observations from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) have revealed missing cooling gas in the Phoenix Cluster, a galaxy cluster located 5.8 billion light-years away. The discovery provides insights into how stars form despite the presence of a supermassive black hole at its core. Researchers have confirmed that the cluster contains the largest known reservoir of hot gas cooling at different rates.

JWST’s Role in Identifying the Missing Cooling Gas

According to a study published in Nature, data from JWST’s Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) has allowed researchers to locate gas cooling at 540,000 degrees Fahrenheit (300,000 degrees Celsius). This gas was found trapped in cavities within the cluster, an area previously unobservable.

Michael McDonald, an astrophysicist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and principal investigator of the study, told Space.com that earlier studies failed to detect this gas because only the extreme temperature ends of the spectrum were measurable.

Supermassive Black Hole and Star Formation in Phoenix Cluster

Despite a central black hole over 10 billion times the mass of the Sun, the Phoenix Cluster continues forming stars at an unprecedented rate. The discovery of trapped cooling gas helps explain this paradox.

The findings challenge previous assumptions about galaxy cluster cooling processes and suggest that similar techniques could be used to study other clusters. The researchers aim to apply these methods to further understand cooling mechanisms in space.

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Exoplanet WASP-121 b’s Atmosphere Features Iron Rains, Jet Streams, and More



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WASP-121 b’s Atmosphere Features Iron Rains, Jet Streams, and More

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February 20, 2025

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WASP-121 b’s Atmosphere Features Iron Rains, Jet Streams, and More

An exoplanet with extreme weather conditions, including iron rain and violent winds, has been identified around 900 light-years away. The planet, WASP-121 b, has been found to experience intense atmospheric activity, with wind speeds surpassing those of the strongest hurricanes known in the solar system. Astronomers studying this ultra-hot Jupiter have detected powerful jet streams that transport vaporised metals across different layers of its atmosphere, contributing to unique and complex weather patterns.

Atmospheric Phenomena Observed

According to a study published in Nature, observations were conducted using the Very Large Telescope (VLT) in Chile’s Atacama Desert. The findings reveal that elements such as iron and titanium are carried across the planet by strong atmospheric currents, leading to complex weather patterns. Dr Julia Victoria Seidel, a researcher at Observatoire de la Côte d’Azur, said in an official press release that the planet’s climate challenges existing meteorological understanding.

As reported, WASP-121 b belongs to a category of planets known as ultra-hot Jupiters. With a mass approximately 1.2 times that of Jupiter, it orbits its star in just 30 Earth hours. Due to its close proximity, the planet is tidally locked, meaning one side is exposed to continuous daylight while the other remains in perpetual darkness.

On the dayside, extreme temperatures cause metals such as iron to vaporise. These elements are then transported by high-speed winds to the nightside, where they condense and fall as liquid metal rain. A jet stream spanning half of the planet has also been detected, moving atmospheric material between the two hemispheres. Dr Seidel explained to [news source] that a separate flow in the lower atmosphere moves gas from the hotter to the cooler side, an unprecedented meteorological phenomenon.

Advanced Observations Using VLT

The ESPRESSO instrument on the VLT was used to study the atmosphere in detail, allowing scientists to map different atmospheric layers. Light from multiple telescopes was combined to analyse fainter details of the planet’s atmospheric composition.

Tracking the movement of hydrogen, sodium, and iron provided insights into wind patterns at varying altitudes. Dr Leonardo A. dos Santos, a researcher at the Space Telescope Science Institute, told [news source] that such detailed observations would be challenging with space telescopes, highlighting the importance of ground-based research.

A surprising discovery was the presence of titanium in the planet’s atmosphere, which had not been detected in previous studies. Researchers believe that the element was hidden in deeper atmospheric layers. Dr Bibiana Prinoth, a researcher at Lund University, told [news source] that studying such distant planets in this level of detail is remarkable.

These findings contribute to the growing understanding of exoplanetary atmospheres, demonstrating the extreme and diverse conditions beyond the solar system.

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