--- title: "Astronomers Discover Heaviest Element Yet in Exoplanet’s Atmosphere" description: "Astronomers accidentally discovered barium in the atmospheres of two Hot Jupiter exoplanets, and they can't figure out how it got there." date: "2022-10-15" modified: "2022-10-15" authors: - name: "Frank Landymore" job_title: "Contributing Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/flandymore" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/heaviest-element-exoplanet-atmosphere" categories: - "Astronomy" - "Exoplanets" - "Space" tags: - "Exoplanets" - "hot Jupiters" - "the digest" --- # Astronomers Discover Heaviest Element Yet in Exoplanet’s Atmosphere ![Astronomers accidentally discovered barium in the atmospheres of two Hot Jupiter exoplanets, and they can't figure out how it got there.]() *\Image: M. Kornmesser/European Southern Observatory\* ## Hell Off-Earth Astronomers using the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope were surprised to discover barium in the atmospheres of two exo-planets, making it the heaviest element yet to be found in an exoplanet's atmosphere. The planets, designated WASP-76b and WASP-121b, are what's known as Hot Jupiters — or ultra-hot, in this case — since they're gas giants comparable in size to the original Jupiter here in our solar system. According to a [paper]() about the work, published this week in the journal *Astronomy & Astrophysics*, equilibrium temperatures on both worlds rise to nearly 4,000 degrees Fahrenheit. The planets are close enough to their system's star that they only have an orbit of two days. Because of that proximity, it's so scaldingly hot that the researchers believe it rains liquid iron and precious gems on 76b, while the clouds are thought to be made of metal on 121b. ## Double Take The astronomers made the discovery almost by accident and had to double check that their findings were actually coming from the planets, according to a [press release](). To detect and then confirm the presence of barium, the team used the Echelle Spectrograph for Rocky Exoplanets and Stable Spectroscopic Observations, or ESPRESSO, a so-called "planet hunter" instrument aboard the VLT. ## Planetary Puzzle As exotic as the exoplanets may be, it doesn't explain what an element as heavy as barium — which is 2.5 times heavier than iron — is doing in their atmospheres. "Given the high gravity of the planets, we would expect heavy elements like barium to quickly fall into the lower layers of the atmosphere," said paper co-author Olivier Demangeon, a researcher from the University of Porto and the Institute of Astrophysics and Space Sciences, in the release. "At the moment, we are not sure what the mechanisms are," Demangeon conceded. It's a stunning discovery, not to mention one that demonstrates how much more we have to learn about these fascinating alien worlds. **More on exoplanets:** *[James Webb Just Took Its First Direct Image of an Exoplanet]()* ## Author At Futurism, my work has often centered on bringing a sense of clarity and insight to complex topics ranging from the regulation of emerging technologies to the esoteric ideologies of Silicon Valley executives, while striving not to lose the poetic sense of awe inspired by often-obscure fields like astrophysics and quantum computing. I broke the story of CNET using AI to produce articles that turned out to be riddled with factual errors and plagiarism — a dam-breaking inflection point, as I've reported, that's inspired copycats and endless discourse while beguiling stakeholders ranging from tech giants to purveyors of spam around the web. My work at Futurism has been cited by publications including CBS News, the Los Angeles Times, Vice, Gizmodo, Engadget, the Verge, and Vanity Fair. I grew up in locales ranging from India to China, and now live in the exotic suburbs of Virginia. In my free time, I'm an avid reader of weird sci-fi literature, an aficionado of East Asian cinema, and, regrettably, a relapsed gamer. Allegedly, I’m working on a debut novel, currently untitled. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()