Scientists Detect Unfamiliar Planet that Rains Iron

An artist's impression shows a unique type of exoplanet discovered with the Hubble Space Telescope.Reuters/Nasa Handout
An artist's impression shows a unique type of exoplanet discovered with the Hubble Space Telescope.Reuters/Nasa Handout
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Scientists Detect Unfamiliar Planet that Rains Iron

An artist's impression shows a unique type of exoplanet discovered with the Hubble Space Telescope.Reuters/Nasa Handout
An artist's impression shows a unique type of exoplanet discovered with the Hubble Space Telescope.Reuters/Nasa Handout

Scientists have detected an exotic planet in another solar system where the weather forecast is always dire - a 100 percent chance of the most outrageous rain imaginable, with droplets of hot liquid iron.

The researchers said on Wednesday they used the planet-hunting ESPRESSO instrument on the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope in Chile to observe a planet called WASP-76b located about 640 light years from Earth.

It is nearly twice the size of Jupiter, our solar system's largest planet.

Planets discovered outside our solar system are called exoplanets, and WASP-76b is one of the most extreme in terms of climate and chemistry. It is a member of a family of exoplanets spotted in recent years called ultra-hot gas giants, Reuters reported.

It resides outstandingly close to its star, which is almost twice as big as the sun. WASP-76b orbits at only three times the radius of that star, much closer than our solar system's innermost planet Mercury orbits the sun. The same side of WASP-76b always faces its star, much as the same side of our moon always faces Earth.

The planet receives 4,000 times the solar radiation that earth gets from the sun, and its dayside temperature reaches 2,400 degrees Celsius. This ferocious heat vaporizes metals present in the planet, with strong winds then carrying iron vapor to the planet's cooler night side where it condenses into liquid iron droplets.

Molten iron rain may be a unique feature of these ultra-hot exoplanets, according to University of Geneva astronomer David Ehrenreich, lead author of the study published in the journal Nature.

"The extreme atmospheric conditions met in WASP-76b and its siblings, other ultra-hot gas giants, are not found anywhere in our solar system. Therefore, these exotic objects are unique laboratories to crash-test our climate models and understand the most extreme forms of atmospheric evolution," Ehrenreich said.



Iran Envoy: Jareesh is Part of Our Culture, I Prefer It to Mandi

Enayati says regional ties run deep through shared history (Photo: Turki Al-Oqaili)
Enayati says regional ties run deep through shared history (Photo: Turki Al-Oqaili)
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Iran Envoy: Jareesh is Part of Our Culture, I Prefer It to Mandi

Enayati says regional ties run deep through shared history (Photo: Turki Al-Oqaili)
Enayati says regional ties run deep through shared history (Photo: Turki Al-Oqaili)

With a warm smile and a calm tone, Dr. Alireza Enayati, Iran’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia, reflects on nearly two years in Riyadh, describing a personal journey shaped by culture, cuisine, and diplomacy.

“I’ve visited different regions and tasted traditional Saudi dishes,” Enayati told Asharq Al-Awsat in an interview. “Jareesh –a dish made from cracked wheat and cooked with meat, spices, and vegetables– has become my favorite—I choose it over mandi and other dishes on any occasion.”

According to the Iranian envoy, the two countries share more than just geography. “There are many common dishes between Saudi Arabia and Iran,” he said.

But food is only one layer of the ambassador’s experience. Enayati, who has spent over two decades immersed in Middle East diplomacy, sees deep historical ties binding the region’s peoples together.

“I recently read Al-Hadaqi, a novel about Al-Jahiz—Abu Uthman Amr ibn Bahr—and his life between Baghdad, Basra, and Iran. It left me with a strong sense that the relationships among peoples in this region go far back in history,” he said. “Reading it felt like tracing our steps backward to better understand the present.”

“These are not new connections,” he added. “We’re not creating the relationship—we’re nurturing what has always existed. The cultural and civilizational dialogue has never ceased.”

His comments come against the backdrop of a thaw in relations between Tehran and Riyadh, after both sides agreed in March 2023—under Chinese mediation—to restore diplomatic ties following a seven-year rift.

The ambassador pointed to culinary overlaps as another reflection of cultural convergence. “Stews, for example, are common in both countries,” he said. “Jareesh is part of Iranian culture too, as are lamb and camel meat. And as everyone knows, kebab originated in Iran, but it’s also very popular here in the Kingdom.”

Enayati has built his career around the region. “I’ve spent more than 20 years working on regional affairs and never served outside this part of the world,” he said with a smile. “I’m not sure if that’s a strength or a limitation, but my focus has always been here.”

Appointed to Riyadh as part of a diplomatic breakthrough, Enayati said he is proud to represent Iran in Saudi Arabia. “It’s a great honor. I dedicate my efforts to enhancing bilateral ties and supporting regional peace and stability.”

Looking ahead, Enayati hopes to help build stronger cultural bridges—not only between Saudi Arabia and Iran, but across the broader region. “Arabic and Persian cultures both occupy a distinguished place,” he said. “We must deepen mutual understanding between them.”

He concluded with a nod to Tehran’s long-term vision for cooperation with Riyadh. “Iran and Saudi Arabia are both pillars of regional stability,” he said. “This region belongs to its people, and we view our relationship with the Kingdom through that lens.”