The KELT-9 b discovered in 2017 is one of the hottest exoplanets that have been observed to date. The gas planet 670 light years away is about 1.8 times the size and 2.9 times the mass of Jupiter.
Due to the nearby star around which the KELT-9 b orbits, temperatures can reach up to 4300 degrees Celsius – this is hotter than on the surface of some stars. Astronomers are just beginning to analyze the bizarre system – now they have published some more surprising discoveries.
Huge temperature differences
Due to the gravity of the nearby star, which in turn has some interesting properties, the rotation of the planet is so timed that one side always faces the star. The energy that KELT-9 b receives as a result is 44,000 times greater than what the earth receives from the sun.
However, the temperature differences are enormous. On the opposite side, it is up to 800 degrees colder, researchers have now found out using the NASA observation program TESS (Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite).
–
