Planet TrES-2b darkest in space

This is a new information and science in the world of astronomy. Astronomers discovered a planet outside our solar system  that very unique which has a very dark color, reportedly even darker than on a piece of coal. The planet is estimated as big as Jupiter, which orbits its star with a distance of about five million kilometers. The temperature of the planet is also very hot, estimated to have 1200 degrees celcius.

The planet is probably too hot to support reflective clouds as seen in the solar system. However, scientists are still struggling to find an explanation of why the planet is so dark. This information will be published in the journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.

The dark planet called TrES-2b as found in the Trans-Atlantic exoplanet survey in 2006. The distance from Earth is estimated to about 750 light-years away in the constellation Draco. The planet is located in the Kepler space telescope sight, which aim to find exoplanets using a highly sensitive light measurements.

By using the data during the first four months of the Kepler telescope, David Kipping, a researcher at the Center for Astrophysics at Harvard University and David Spiegel of the University of Princeton assess the amount of light emitted directly from this planet TrES-2b. Astronomers measure the amount of light obtained from the “night side” the planet when directly in front of its star. Then compare with the light of the “dark side”, before crossing the star. The second difference then measured to determine how much light is reflected or called albedo.

In the solar system, Jupiter clouds reflecting the 52%, Earth reflects the light 37%. But it seems the planet TrES-2b reflects the light beam is less than 1%. According to Drs. Kipping, the albedo is darker than the acrylic paint or coal so it is very strange.

One explanation, perhaps the planet is too hot to support reflective clouds that surround the planet as seen in the solar system. However, Kipping and Spiegel said it had not been able to explain why TrES-2b so dark. Not only because it failed to reflect planetary rays but probably also in absorbing light.