Australian scientists have discovered a “hellish” incandescent planet
Astronomers from Queensland have discovered a new planet 490 light-years from Earth. It is one of the hottest ever recorded, according to the University of Southern Queensland.
The planet was named TOI-1431b. The temperature on its daytime (that is, facing the star) side reaches 2700 degrees Celsius. This is enough to melt any metal. Heating on the shadow side is slightly lower – 2300 degrees.
Astrophysicist Dr. Brett Addison described the planet as a “hellish world.” According to him, not a single known form of life is able to survive in such conditions.
The planet belongs to the class of gas giants, it has a vast and deep atmosphere. It is about one and a half times the size of Jupiter and orbits a very hot star. The period of its full revolution is only two Earth days. It has a retrograde orbit, that is, it moves in the direction opposite to the rotation of the host star.
Scientists noted that research missions to such a planet are meaningless. But its discovery is important for science, as it helps to study the laws of other stellar systems. It is possible that a huge planet formed far from the star, and then migrated to it. By examining several of these bodies, scientists will be able to understand what causes such migrations.
Earlier it was reported that scientists have found a planet covered in smog. It is located 41 light years from earth.
