Glass Rain

In 2005, scientists discovered an exoplanet just 64 light years from Earth where scorching temperatures and screaming 5,000-mile-per-hour winds send glass raining sideways. 

In an article published this week in the journal Nature, researchers announced that data from the James Webb Space Telescope has revealed that the planet nicknamed "hot Jupiter" is also the home of a colorless gas that releases a strong sulfur smell. The discovery of hydrogen sulfide will aid scientists in further exploration of what exoplanets are made of and how they form.

An "exoplanet" is a planet that orbits around a star rather than the Sun, and the planet known as HD 189733b is 10% larger than Jupiter and much hotter because of its proximity to its star. The planet boasts an average temperature of 1,700 degrees Fahrenheit, and it is the closest exoplanet of its kind to Earth, which means astronomers can study its elements more easily.

In addition to hydrogen sulfide, researchers discovered water, carbon dioxide, and carbon monoxide in the exoplanet's atmosphere. Scientists are watching for similar sulfur signatures on other exoplanets to weigh whether high concentrations reflect how closely some planets form in relation to their host stars.

"HD 189733b is a benchmark planet, but it represents just a single data point," said lead author Guangwei Fu, an astrophysicist at Johns Hopkins University. "Just as individual humans exhibit unique characteristics, our collective behaviors follow clear trends and patterns. With more datasets from Webb to come, we aim to understand how planets form and if our solar system is unique in the galaxy."

The heavens declare the glory of God;
    the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Day after day they pour forth speech;
    night after night they reveal knowledge.
They have no speech, they use no words;
    no sound is heard from them.
Yet their voice goes out into all the earth,
    their words to the ends of the world.

-- Psalm 19:1-4

How often do we remember that God created not only the sun and trees outside our windows, but also the galaxies that stretch unimaginably into the depths of the sky above us?  Yes, the 100-plus-degree heat of the past few days has felt overbearing for many of us, but how do our temperatures compare to the violence of an exoplanet  with 1,700-degree temperatures and 5,000-mile-per-hour winds turn rain into glass that pelts sideways in a relentless firestorm? How might the weight of our daily fears lighten as we listen for the soundless voice of the Lord?