Phase curve analysis of 'Hot Neptune' (VIDEO)

University of Kansas

Caption

"For the first time, we measured the light coming from this planet that shouldn't exist," said Ian Crossfield, assistant professor of physics & astronomy at KU and lead author of the paper. "This planet is so intensely irradiated by its star that its temperature is over 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit and its atmosphere could have evaporated entirely. Yet, our Spitzer observations show us its atmosphere via the infrared light the planet emits."

Credit

Ethen Schmidt | University of Kansas

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