The mysterious universe of exoplanets sometimes contains amazing and unexpected discoveries. One such discovery was made recently by a team of researchers.
Using specialized telescopes, the team detected quartz crystals swirling in the atmosphere of an exoplanet located 40 light-years from Earth. This is the first time quartz crystals have been discovered in an atmosphere beyond our Solar System.
The quartz crystals were identified using a precisely tuned instrument called HARPS-N attached to the Telescopio Nazionale Galileo on La Palma in the Canary Islands. By comparing the wavelengths of different elements in the starlight filtered by the exoplanet atmosphere, the team was able to determine the composition of the atmosphere, and thus, the presence of quartz crystals.
The discovery has revealed new insights into how exoplanets form and what substances may exist beyond our Solar System. Quartz is a common constituent of mineral dust and therefore its presence implies the presence of dust particles in the outer reaches of the exoplanet system. This further proves the idea that particles and interstellar dust are constantly floating around in the cosmos.
Source of quartz in exoplanets is still unknown, but theories propose they may demonstrate some form of geology inspired by collision of planetary segments. Quartz crystals are also thought to form from impact events where high-velocity meteoroids slam into the planet.
The discovery of quartz crystals in an exoplanet atmosphere gives astronomers a new way to probe for the presence of dust and other elements in other planets. Such a finding opens up a whole new world to explore and could lead to more thought-provoking discoveries in the future.