Imagine complaining about the weather where you are right now, but at least you’re not on WASP-121 b! The Hubble Space Telescope recently caught a glimpse of this wild exoplanet, and let me tell you, it’s got some seriously chaotic weather.
WASP-121 b, located a whopping 850 light-years away in the Puppis constellation, falls into the category of “Hot Jupiters.” These are planets with Jupiter-like features but way too cozy with their host stars. I’m talking about a planet so close that its upper atmosphere is a scorching 1,800 degrees Celsius – hotter than your typical blast furnace used for smelting iron.
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Why is it so toasty?
Blame it on the star’s harsh ultraviolet radiation, cooking up the planet’s upper atmosphere. This extreme heat is causing magnesium and iron gas to escape into space. Yes, you heard that right – magnesium and iron are just casually evaporating into the cosmos.
But wait, there’s more! The star’s intense gravitational tidal forces have given WASP-121 b a makeover, turning it into a more oblong-shaped celestial body. It’s like interstellar plastic surgery, but without the need for a scalpel.
Now, let’s talk about the planet’s fashion sense. Researchers, armed with years of Hubble telescope data and some serious computer modeling skills, discovered evidence of massive cyclones on WASP-121.
These cyclones are like the divas of the exoplanet world – constantly strutting their stuff on the star-facing (daytime) side and then disappearing into the cosmic shadows on the dark night-time side.
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Why the drama?
Blame it on the massive temperature difference between the two sides of the planet. It’s like the ultimate celestial catwalk, and these cyclones are the supermodels showing off their moves.
Why should we care about the fashion choices of a distant exoplanet?
Well, besides the fact that it’s fascinating, understanding the climates of far-off worlds like WASP-121 b is crucial for future space exploration. Who knows, maybe we’ll find planets with conditions so comfy that we could set up our intergalactic vacation homes there. I hear the magnesium and iron spa treatments are out of this world!