Why Were Hot Jupiters Initially Puzzling To Astronomers?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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Giant alien planets known as “hot Jupiters” orbit their stars much closer than Mercury does the sun. But the mystery of the origins of hot Jupiters deepened when astronomers recently discovered the scorching orbits of these worlds are

often bizarrely skewed

, tilted when compared with the equators of their stars.

Why is the existence of hot Jupiters puzzling?

Although hot Jupiters were the first type of exoplanet to be discovered, their existence has long puzzled astronomers because they

are often thought to be too close to their parent stars to have formed in situ

.

Why is the discovery of hot Jupiters surprising?

Hot Jupiters like 51 Pegasi b were the first type of planet discovered around sun-like stars. What led to their discovery? It occurred

after astronomers started using a technique called the radial velocity method to look for extrasolar planets

. … It was a surprising but fortuitous discovery.

How do astronomers explain the existence of hot Jupiters?

To make a hot Jupiter, first

you must form a gas giant

. Astronomers believe this happens through a process called core accretion. A rocky core — Earth-sized or larger — forms in the protoplanetary disk. … To get a hot Jupiter under these conditions, giant planets must migrate inward.

Why were hot Jupiters among the earliest known exoplanets?


The close proximity to their stars and high surface-atmosphere temperatures

resulted in the moniker “hot Jupiters”. … Discovered in 1995, it was the first extrasolar planet found orbiting a Sun-like star.

What is the best explanation for hot Jupiters?

What’s the best explanation for the location of hot Jupiters?

They formed farther out like Jupiter but then migrated inward.

What is the hottest planet?


Venus

is the hottest planet in the solar system. Although Venus is not the planet closest to the sun, its dense atmosphere traps heat in a runaway version of the greenhouse effect that warms Earth.

Why does our Solar System not have any hot Jupiters?

Hot Jupiters are heated gas giant planets that are very close to their stars, just a few million miles distant and orbiting their stellar hosts in just a few days. The reason why there isn’t one in our Solar System

is down to its formation

. All gas giants form far from their star but then some migrate inwards.

How many Super Earths are there?


The Solar System contains no known super-Earths

, because Earth is the largest terrestrial planet in the Solar System, and all larger planets have both at least 14 times the mass of Earth and thick gaseous atmospheres without well-defined rocky or watery surfaces; that is, they are either gas giants or ice giants, not …

Is Jupiter hotter than the sun?

Jupiter rotates, or spins, faster than any other planet. … The temperature near the planet’s center is much, much hotter. The core temperature may be about 24,000 degrees Celsius (43,000 degrees Fahrenheit). That’s

hotter than the surface of the sun

!

Why are hot Jupiters so close to their stars Group of answer choices?

It has to lose a lot of angular momentum, which it does by dumping it onto the outer planet. The inner planet’s orbit gradually shrinks because

energy is dissipated through tides

, pulling in close to the star and producing a hot Jupiter.

How many jovian planets are there?

These images of the

four Jovian planets

— Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune — hint at some of the remarkable attributes that set them apart from the smaller, rocky terrestrial planets.

What are hot Jupiters and why were they surprising?

Giant alien planets known as “hot Jupiters” orbit their stars much closer than Mercury does the sun. … These scorching, tilted orbits might result from the way hot Jupiters cause

their stars to dance chaotically as the planets migrate inward

, scientists believe.

Could you stand on Jupiter?

Have you ever wondered what it might feel like to stand on Jupiter’s surface? … Jupiter is made up almost entirely of hydrogen and helium, with some other trace gases.

There is no firm surface on Jupiter

, so if you tried to stand on the planet, you sink down and be crushed by the intense pressure inside the planet.

Would a gas giant become a star?

If a large cloud of interstellar gas came Jupiter’s way, maybe the planet could gain enough extra mass to start fusion. … If it accreted even more mass, just enough to become a true star, it would be

a dim red dwarf

. Its radiation would barely affect us and it wouldn’t look very different to now.

How hot is Jupiter at night?

Jupiter –

minus 162°F

(-108°C) Saturn – minus 218°F (-138°C) Uranus – minus 320°F (-195°C) Neptune – minus 331°F (-201°C)

Diane Mitchell
Author
Diane Mitchell
Diane Mitchell is an animal lover and trainer with over 15 years of experience working with a variety of animals, including dogs, cats, birds, and horses. She has worked with leading animal welfare organizations. Diane is passionate about promoting responsible pet ownership and educating pet owners on the best practices for training and caring for their furry friends.