WASP-76b , discovered in 2016, is about 640 light years from Earth, but so close to its F-type star that it is slightly hotter than the sun.
As suggested by a study by an international team, led by scientists from Cornell University, the University of Toronto and Queen’s University of Belfast, this exoplanet is much hotter than previously assumed.
A hot ‘Jupiter’
Due to this proximity, its daytime side is intensely irradiated. It is also believed to be tidally locked, meaning that the planet rotates around its axis in the same time it takes to complete one orbit around its star.
Half of the planet always faces the star and the other half is in the eternal night; This results in a scorching hot day side of 2400 ° C, while its night side is a relatively cool 1300 ° C.
The discovery of ionized calcium in this ultra-hot Jupiter, suggesting a higher atmospheric temperature than previously thought or strong winds in the upper atmosphere. The discovery was made in high-resolution spectra obtained from Gemini North near the top of Mauna Kea in Hawaii. According to co-author Ray Jayawardhana :
As we remotely sense dozens of exoplanets, spanning a range of masses and temperatures, we will develop a more complete picture of the true diversity of alien worlds, from those hot enough to host iron rain to others with warmer climates. moderate, from those heavier than Jupiter to others not much larger than Earth.