Exoplanet WASP-12 b

Artist's impression of the hot, carbon-rich planet WASP-12b losing mass to its parent star. The color and atmospheric features of the planet are not known. Image source: [1]

WASP-12 b, is a hot Jupiter with 1.4 times the mass of Jupiter located at 871 light-years. WASP-12 b orbits its star only 3.5 million kilometers (0.023 AU), so its surface temperature exceeds 2200 ° C on the day side. In addition to suffering these brutal temperatures, the planet is torn by tidal forces, so its shape resembles that of a rugby ball.

But the really interesting thing is its composition. Madhusudhan's team has observed WASP-12 b with the Spitzer Space Telescope and has been able to verify that the proportion of carbon is far superior to that of any planet in the Solar System. Specifically, the planet has a carbon - oxygen ratio above 0.8 (perhaps even greater than 1, when the normal is 0.5), which could indicate the presence of a core composed mainly of carbon and carbides Of various types instead of silicates.

Every second that passes, WASP-12 b loses about 6 billion tons of gas, so within 10 million years this planet will be totally destroyed by its star, the main one responsible for its murder. But to see this spectacular phenomenon, we will have to wait 750 more years, since it is what will take the light, to reach us. All the material that loses the planet will be absorbed by the star forming a spiral around this, where, according to scientists, there would also be a rocky planet similar to Earth.

More details here: WASP-12 b

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