We are accustomed to enjoying the sight and smell of rain. Rain has always been a source of life for humans and all living things throughout the ages, and it has also been a source of destruction at times. But what does rain fall in the skies of other planets?
Learn about five different and strange types of rain on other planets.
Jupiter and Saturn: Diamonds
If you are about to get married, you will want to make a quick visit to this planet! According to data collected by scientists, it rains diamonds on the planets Jupiter and Saturn, because their atmospheres contain methane gas, from which thunderstorms produce carbon, which in turn forms graphite, and when graphite is subjected to pressure, the hardest type of diamond is formed.
Flower: Sulfuric acid
If you feel scared when you hear about acid rain on Earth, thank God you don’t live on a flower. Flower clouds contain sulfur dioxide, which reacts with water to form sulfuric acid. Although the rain falls as sulfuric acid, it evaporates before reaching the Earth’s surface.
Titan: Liquid methane
Titan, Saturn’s moon, is similar to Earth in its winds, volcanoes, and rain, but the similarities don’t end there; they are the only two moons in the solar system where liquid rain reaches a solid surface. Methane falls on Titan’s surface approximately once every thousand years!
HD 189733 B: Glass
I may have been captivated by the stunning blue planet HD 189733 b, which resembles Earth and is located about 63 light-years away, but scientists have discovered that it’s actually liquid glass rain that gives the planet its color. This is due to the planet’s proximity to its star, which raises its temperature to 980 degrees Celsius, causing sideways rain at speeds of up to 4,350 miles per hour.
COROOT-7B: Rocks
While most giant exoplanets are composed of gas, CoRoT-7b is made of rock—and it even rains rocks! Its atmosphere is made of the same elements as rock: sodium, potassium, iron, and silicon monoxide, which condense to form pebbles that fall like rain onto its surface. Next time you get your clothes dirty or a little wet from the rain, be grateful you’re on Earth!
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