Exploring the Scorching Hot Environment of an Exoplanet
Astronomers have recently discovered a scorching hot exoplanet, known as WASP-18b, that they are now studying in more detail. This planet, located in the constellation of Draco, is one of the hottest known exoplanets and it has an estimated temperature of up to 2,500°C (4,500°F). It has a mass of 10 times that of Jupiter and is located 330 light years away from Earth. Its mass is so great that it has been pulled into an orbit so close to its star that it completes a full revolution in less than a day.
This remarkable exoplanet has become the focus of a new study, which hopes to uncover more information about its extreme environment. The research team is particularly interested in understanding the planet’s atmosphere and how it has managed to remain so hot for so long. By studying the exoplanet, they hope to gain insight into the processes that are involved in the formation of hot planetary atmospheres. The research team is also examining the possibility of life existing on the planet, although this appears to be highly unlikely given the extreme temperatures.
source: Phys.org