KELT-9B is one of the craziest exoplanets to be discovered yet that is the rightful citizen of phantasmagoria. Orbiting its star, KELT-9 in a staggering 1.5 days, KELT-9B possess an atmosphere that has not been seen by scientists yet due to constant blowouts by KELT-9.
This planet is a gas giant similar to Jupiter, however, KELT-9B is approximately 2.8 times denser, with temperatures reaching approximately 4,600 kelvin. Yes, a planet with such incredibly high surface temperatures reaching higher than most stars.
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| Artist conception of the KELT-9 system. NASA/JPL-Caltech/R. Hurt (IPAC) |
Also, the star that KELT-9B orbits has temperatures reaching around 10,170 kelvin. This star is one of the hottest stars known to researchers and the fact that it also possess a planet with temperatures of 4,600 kelvin is even more astonishing.
In fact, astronomer Jonti Horner of the University of Southern Queensland gushed about the fantastic nature of this star saying the following words: “It would be fair to say that this planet is hotter than at least 80% of all known stars, which is just mind-blowing.” This system of planet and star is extraordinary!
Let’s compare such a system with such vaporizing temperatures to our sun. Our sun, an average main-sequence star has a surface temperature of approximately 5,800 kelvin. The closest planet to the sun, Mercury has surface temperatures reaching a mere 700 kelvin.
In fact, KELT-9B is basically skimming the surface of its star... a star hotter than at least 80% of all stars known to man. Due to the temperatures of this star, scientists are surprised that this planet even exists.
Scientists speculate that these colossal temperatures of KELT-9B were caused by its close proximity to KELT-9. The existence of this planet truly is one that stuns us.
Alan Duffey, astronomer of Swinburne University explained why the existence of KELT-9B is so phenomenal in the following statement: “...When you have a very massive, very bright star, the force of its radiation is so intense that it can actually blast the material away from around it. There is not a lot of gas and dust left to form planets.”
Unfortunately, the existence of KELT-9B is bound to be made short-lived due to the harsh conditions it’s in. In fact, it is estimated that the exoplanet is losing at least 10 million kilograms of mass per second. Because of this, there is a possibility of a comet-like tail forming around the planet which makes KELT-9B even more extravagant.
This discovery is one of a kind, and absolutely phenomenal! Such a finding shows that the formation of a planet next to a star such as KELT-9, however unlikely and rare, is possible, opening a window to more.
A window to whole new worlds of endless possibility. KELT-9B opens a whole new perspective to the astronomers of our day. Think of how more is to be discovered... all the possible knowledge gained by the discovery of one quintessence of awe that is KELT-9B.
In the future, researchers do hope to further look at KELT-9B with other telescopes, including the James Webb Space Telescope that is to be launched by NASA in October 2018. The curiosity to learn more about this unbelievable planet burns brightly than ever.
Once again, the universe has proved itself to be a proof of immense mystery that never ceases to amaze us tiny human beings.
The discovery has been reported in Nature.