One of the most extreme known exoplanets could be more harsh than previously thought, according to researchers sharing the James Webb Space Telescope’s latest observations of HD 80606 b today at the American Astronomical Society meeting in Pasadena, California.
The planet is seen here in an artist’s concept.
Webb’s powerful instruments show that HD 80606 b’s temperature swings are even more extreme than detected by its predecessor, the now-retired Spitzer Space Telescope. Both saw that the planet’s exaggerated elliptical orbit resulted in huge temperature swings.
Initial analysis of Webb's results show that the planet's temperature can jump by 1,100 degrees Fahrenheit (600 degrees Celsius) as it speeds by its Sun-like star.
Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, Joseph Olmsted (STScI).
