For by Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible,...For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, ...so that THEY ARE WITHOUT EXCUSE: Col 1:16 / Rom.1:20

Sunday, January 7, 2024

EXO-PLANETS: "Football" Planet (WASP-121b)

Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God,...
Hebrews 11:3


"Q: How can a planet be 'hotter than hot?'
A: The answer is when heavy metals are detected escaping from the planet's atmosphere, instead of condensing into clouds.

This artist's illustration shows an alien world that is losing magnesium and iron gas from its atmosphere. The observations represent the first time that so-called "heavy metals"—elements more massive than hydrogen and helium—have been detected escaping from a hot Jupiter, a large gaseous exoplanet orbiting very close to its star.

The planet, known as WASP-121b, orbits a star brighter and hotter than the Sun.
The planet is so dangerously close to its star that its upper atmosphere reaches a blazing 4,600 degrees Fahrenheit, about 10 times greater than any known planetary atmosphere.
--A torrent of ultraviolet light from the host star is heating the planet's upper atmosphere, which is causing the magnesium and iron gas to escape into space.
--Observations by Hubble's Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph have detected the spectral signatures of magnesium and iron far away from the planet.
--The powerful gravitational forces have altered the planet's shape so that it appears more football shaped.
The WASP-121 system is about 900 light-years from Earth."
NASA, ESA, and J. Olmsted (STScI)