A new alien planet has been discovered and the unusual thing about it is that it is black – blackest black.  The planet is called TrES-2b and it is located 750 light years away around the star GSC 03549-02811.   The unusual thing about this alien planet is it’s color.  Scientists are dumbfounded about why it is so unusually black – they’re saying it is darket than the blackest coal!  It is also now considered the darkest planet that we know about!

One theory on why it is so black is that it has light absorbing chemicals in the atmosphere, perhaps from a chemical that is not yet known to us on planet earth.

So what would it be like to be a life form on a planet this dark?  Would any alien life that exists there have had to adapt – would they have special infrared or radar vision?  Would they be hurt by light if it were to penetrate the atmosphere and touch their skins?   Another interesting question is what would happen to humans if they ended up on an alien planet without any light?  Would humans be able to survive in a light deprived environment?

Perhaps planet TrES-2b can be the doorway to us exploring what we think about alien life – and human life, and what each is able to adapt to.  You can read more about this newly discovered alien planet by doing a web search for “coal-black alien planet”.