NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope was recently used to take the temperature of a far off exoplanet. What did they find? A planet oozing molten heavy metals.
The planet named WASP-121b is the most extreme of planets that we humans have ever observes, it is actually bizarre.
- The planet has an upper atmosphere at least 10 times hotter than any known planet.
- The planet whips about heavy metals among other materials. The obvious cause behind this – the extremely hot temperature.
- The exoplanet WASP-121b is 900 light-years away from earth.
- “Heavy metals have been observed leaking in other Jupiter sized planets but only in the lower atmosphere.” David Sing of John Hopkins University.
- This exoplanet orbits a star slightly larger and hotter than our own sun, making it even more fascinating to observe.
- The planet may be destroyed already; 900 light-years is a long time for light to reach us.
- WASP-121b has temperatures as high as 4,600 degrees Fahrenheit.
- The planet is too far away from us to directly be observed, even at its scorching temperature.
- Scientists believe that this planet could not have formed close to its star precisely because it is losing material.
- It is likely that it formed a safe distance away from its star. Eventually, because of the laws of gravity, it has come closer and closer to its star.
