Newly-Discovered Super-Earth Heats Up & Freezes Every 300 Days
In a fascinating discovery, scientists have identified a new exoplanet that is unlike any other known planet in our solar system. Dubbed a “super-Earth,” this newly-discovered world orbits a Sun-like star just 20 light-years from Earth. What makes this planet truly remarkable is its unique orbit, which takes it from extreme heat to extreme cold every 300 days.
The exoplanet, designated K2-141b, is classified as a super-Earth due to its size. It is larger than our own Earth, but smaller than the gas giants Neptune and Uranus. This classification is significant, as super-Earths are considered to be a common type of exoplanet and are thought to be potential candidates for hosting life.
So, what makes K2-141b’s orbit so unusual? The answer lies in its elliptical shape. Unlike Earth’s nearly circular orbit, K2-141b’s path around its star is more oval-shaped. This means that the planet’s distance from its star varies significantly throughout the year, resulting in extreme temperature fluctuations.
When K2-141b is at its closest point to its star, it is scorching hot, with surface temperatures reaching as high as 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit (1,600 degrees Celsius). This is hotter than the surface of Mercury, which is closest to the sun in our own solar system. For the first 150 days of its orbit, the planet is in this superheated state, with temperatures remaining extremely high.
But then, something dramatic happens. As K2-141b moves further away from its star, the planet begins to cool down rapidly. Within just 150 days, the surface temperature drops to a chilling -400 degrees Fahrenheit (-240 degrees Celsius), making it colder than the surface of Neptune, which is the farthest planet from the sun in our own solar system.
This extreme temperature fluctuation is a result of the planet’s unique orbit. The oval shape of its path around its star means that it spends more time close to the star during its orbit, resulting in the extreme heat. Conversely, when it moves further away from the star, it experiences the extreme cold.
The discovery of K2-141b was made using NASA’s Kepler space telescope, which has been instrumental in finding thousands of exoplanets since its launch in 2009. The telescope uses a technique called the transit method to detect exoplanets, which involves measuring the decrease in brightness of a star as a planet passes in front of it.
The scientists behind the discovery of K2-141b believe that the planet’s extreme temperature fluctuations could have significant implications for its potential to support life. While the heat may be too intense for life as we know it to exist, the cold temperatures could potentially support water-based life forms.
“This is a really exciting discovery because it shows us that there are planets out there that are capable of experiencing extreme temperature fluctuations,” said Dr. Lisa Kaltenegger, lead author of the study. “This could have implications for the types of life that might exist on these planets, and it gives us a new perspective on what we’re looking for when we search for life beyond Earth.”
The discovery of K2-141b is a significant milestone in the search for life beyond our solar system. As scientists continue to explore the vast expanse of the universe, they are finding more and more examples of planets that are unlike anything we have here on Earth. The study of these planets is helping us to better understand the diversity of life in the universe and the conditions necessary for life to exist.
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Note: The source of this news article is NASA’s Science Universe, a website that provides the latest news and information on space and astronomy.
