Newly-discovered super-Earth heats up & freezes every 300 days
In a fascinating discovery, astronomers have found a new ‘super-Earth’ orbiting a Sun-like star just 20 light-years from our planet. This extraordinary planet, classified as a super-Earth, experiences extreme heat for the first part of its year and freezes for the rest of the days, bouncing between extreme climates roughly every 300 days. This unusual orbit is unlike anything found in our solar system, making it a thrilling find for scientists and space enthusiasts alike.
A super-Earth is a planet that is bigger than our home planet, Earth, but lighter than the gas giants, Neptune and Uranus. This new discovery is a significant addition to our understanding of planetary formation and the potential for life beyond Earth. The team of scientists behind the discovery used data from NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) to identify the planet, which they have named K2-141b.
K2-141b orbits its host star at a distance that is about 20% closer than Mercury orbits the Sun. This proximity to the star means that the planet experiences extreme heat during the first part of its year, with surface temperatures reaching as high as 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit (1,600 degrees Celsius). This heat is due to the star’s intense radiation and the planet’s close proximity to it.
As the planet moves closer to its host star, it experiences a period of intense heat, with temperatures soaring to scorching highs. This heat is similar to the conditions found on Mercury, which is the closest planet to the Sun. However, unlike Mercury, K2-141b’s orbit is not circular, but rather oval-shaped, which leads to a dramatic change in its climate.
As K2-141b moves away from its host star, it begins to experience a rapid cooling, with surface temperatures dropping to as low as -400 degrees Fahrenheit (-240 degrees Celsius). This extreme cold is similar to the conditions found on Neptune and Uranus, which are the coldest planets in our solar system.
This incredible swing between extreme heat and cold occurs roughly every 300 days, making K2-141b one of the most extreme planets discovered to date. The team of scientists behind the discovery believe that this unusual orbit may be due to the planet’s close proximity to its host star, which causes it to experience intense tidal forces.
Tidal forces occur when a planet’s gravity is affected by the gravitational pull of its host star. In the case of K2-141b, the star’s gravity causes the planet’s orbit to be irregular, resulting in its oval-shaped path around the star. This unusual orbit leads to the extreme changes in climate, making K2-141b a truly unique planet.
The discovery of K2-141b is a significant find for scientists, as it provides new insights into the formation and evolution of planetary systems. The team of scientists behind the discovery believe that the planet may have formed through a process known as gravitational instability, in which a disk of gas and dust surrounding the host star collapses under its own gravity, forming a planet.
The discovery of K2-141b also raises questions about the potential for life on the planet. While the extreme temperatures and conditions on the planet may make it difficult for life as we know it to exist, the possibility of life on other planets is always an exciting one. The discovery of K2-141b is a reminder that there is still much to be learned about the universe and the potential for life beyond Earth.
In conclusion, the discovery of K2-141b, a newly-discovered super-Earth that heats up and freezes every 300 days, is a significant find for scientists and space enthusiasts alike. The planet’s extreme climate and unusual orbit make it a fascinating addition to our understanding of planetary formation and the potential for life beyond Earth. As we continue to explore the universe and discover new planets, we may yet find evidence of life beyond our own planet, and the discovery of K2-141b is a reminder that the possibility is always there.
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