Clouds have the remarkable ability to reflect a significant amount of sunlight. On Earth, clouds reflect approximately 30 percent of sunlight back into space. In contrast, Venus, entirely shrouded in clouds, reflects 75 percent of sunlight, making it the brightest object in our night sky.

However, astronomers have recently made an astonishing discovery—a newly found exoplanet called LTT9779b surpasses all known planets in terms of reflectivity.

This exoplanet reflects a remarkable 80 percent of the starlight it receives, earning it the title of the shiniest known planet or the largest “mirror” in the universe, IFL Science reported.

The measure that quantifies a planet’s reflectivity is known as its albedo. A higher albedo indicates a more reflective surface, while darker or rougher surfaces tend to absorb light.

Typically, most planets have a low albedo unless they possess abundant clouds or are covered in shiny white ice.

What makes LTT9779b particularly intriguing is that it exhibits an extraordinary albedo despite lacking clouds or an atmosphere, which defies expectations.

The exoplanet LTT9779b was discovered using the European Space Agency’s exoplanet mission Cheops. It orbits a star similar to our Sun, completing each orbit in a mere 19 hours.

Its proximity to its star means that the side facing the star experiences scorching temperatures estimated to be around 2,000°C (3,600°F).

LTT9779b is slightly larger and heavier than Neptune, and its exceptional reflectivity can be attributed to the presence of metallic glassy clouds in its atmosphere.

Written by staff