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The number of planets in our universe is greater than the number of grains of sand in all the beaches on Earth.

Many of our closest neighbors, such as Mars and Venus have been explored and written about in great detail. 

But there are billions more planets beyond our solar system that have yet to be fully explored and these are some of the weirdest, most violent places in the universe. 

DID YOU KNOW?

Planets outside of our solar system are called exoplanets.

Chapter 1: Get Rich Quick

This planet, called 55 Cancri e is twice the size of Earth, yet it is over eight times the mass. This is because over one third of the surface is made of diamonds! 55 Cancri e is a very carbon rich planet. 

DID YOU KNOW?

 Carbon is the main ingredient in diamond making, along with pressure and time.

This bedazzled planet orbits very close to its star, and the same side always faces the star, making the surface extremely hot. It is this combination of carbon, and extreme temperatures and pressure that create the diamond encrusted surface. 

Many astronomers believe that this planet could have an atmosphere similar to Earth’s, with nitrogen, water, and even oxygen. However, even with a perfect atmosphere, this planet is still too hot to support life with the coldest parts reaching temperatures of about 2500 degrees Fahrenheit.

Fun Fact: If you could travel to this planet and collect all the diamonds, they would be worth 26.9 nonillion dollars! (That is 269 followed by 29 more zeros!)

Chapter 2: Burning Ice

Astronomers have given this planet, Gliese 436 b, the nickname "Burning Ice Planet." This is because it orbits very close to its sun, so the surface can reach temperatures of 439 degrees celsius, yet this planet consists mostly of ice! It pulls off this paradox because the immense gravitational forces the planet feels is enough to compact any water that evaporates back into ice. 

As if that weren’t enough, Gliese 463 b also has a comet-like tail! The atmosphere of this planet is made up of hydrogen that is slowly evaporating because of pressure from the star it’s orbiting. This evaporating hydrogen cloud trails behind the planet as it orbits creating a tail similar to that of a comet. 

Chapter 3: Steel Umbrella

Planet HD 189773b may have the most extreme weather conditions out of all the planets mentioned. On this planet, it rains molten glass sideways! Like many strange planets, this one also orbits very close to its sun, making it incredibly hot – around 930 degrees Celsius!

Its atmosphere is composed of silica particles, giving the planet a blue appearance, so it looks remarkably similar to Earth. When the silica in the atmosphere melts under the extreme heat, it turns to molten glass. Ferocious winds up to 5400 miles per hour create the sideways rain effect. 

Fun Fact: The winds on HD 189773b blow at nearly twice the speed of the fastest fighter jets!

Chapter 4: Back and Forth

A planet called HD 80606b has the most elliptical orbit scientists have discovered so far, swinging from 79 million miles away from its star, to just 2.8 million miles.