Why do diamonds rain on Neptune?

Take the conundrum, for example, of how the chemical reactions inside of Neptune and Uranus may cause diamonds to rain down on the planets’ cores. Under immense pressure deep below the planets’ surfaces, carbon and hydrogen atoms are smushed together, forming the crystals.

Why do diamonds rain?

According to the research lightning storms on the planets turn methane into soot which hardens into chunks of graphite and then diamonds as it falls. The diamonds apparently fall like hail stones and melt into the planets hot cores.

How does it rain diamonds on Neptune for kids?

When you turn on the laser the methane turns black because of all the diamonds created. The black diamond specks float in a clear hydrocarbon liquid melted by the laser.” That does sound cool. That’s why they believe it literally rains diamonds on these two planets.

What causes diamond showers on other planets?

The elements that make up polystyrene split from each other. This resulted in carbon and hydrogen atoms. Under pressure, the carbon turned into diamonds before their eyes. Based on these findings, the researchers believe it’s likely that diamonds do indeed rain down on the planet Neptune.

Can Uranus rain diamonds?

Deep within Neptune and Uranus, it rains diamonds—or so astronomers and physicists have suspected for nearly 40 years. The outer planets of our Solar System are hard to study, however. Only a single space mission, Voyager 2, has flown by to reveal some of their secrets, so diamond rain has remained only a hypothesis.

Does Uranus and Neptune rains diamonds?

Deep within Neptune and Uranus, it rains diamonds—or so astronomers and physicists have suspected for nearly 40 years. The outer planets of our Solar System are hard to study, however. Discoveries such as these reveal the complexity of the chemical processes involved in the evolution of these planets.