First solid extrasolar planet “rains rocks”
Astronomers announced the discovery of the first rocky extrasolar planet - COROT-7b - a couple weeks ago. Now based on available data and computer simulations, they say the planet has a mineral atmosphere. COROT-7b is so close to it’s sun that it’s gravitationally locked. The side facing the sun gets hot enough to boil the planet’s rocky surface. It evaporates into a mineral vapor that cools as it rises, eventually condensing into pebbles and falling as rock-rain. How badass is that?
