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We report the first direct detection of an exoplanet in the visible polarizedlight. The transiting planet HD189733b is one of the very hot Jupiters withshortest periods and, thus, smallest orbits, which makes them ideal candidatesfor polarimetric detections. We obtained polarimetric measurements of HD189733in the $B$ band well distributed over the orbital period and detected twopolarization maxima near planetary elongations with a peak amplitude of$\sim2\cdot10^{-4}$. Assuming Rayleigh scattering, we estimated the effectivesize of the scattering atmosphere (Lambert sphere) to be 1.5$\pm$0.2 $R_{\rmJ}$, which is 30% larger than the radius of the opaque body previously inferredfrom transits. If the scattering matter fills the planetary Roche lobe, thelower limit of the geometrical albedo can be estimated as 0.14. The phasedependence of polarization indicates that the planetary orbit is orientedalmost in a north-south direction with a longitude of ascending node$\Omega$=(16\degr or 196\degr)$\pm$8\degr. We obtain independent estimates ofthe orbit inclination $i$=98\degr$\pm$8\degr and eccentricity $e$=0.0 (with anuncertainty of 0.05) which are in excellent agreement with values determinedpreviously from transits and radial velocities. Our findings clearlydemonstrate the power of polarimetry and open a new dimension in exploringexoplanetary atmospheres even for systems without transits.

First detection of polarized scattered light from an exoplanetary atmosphere