WASP-107b: Giant Exoplanet has low core mass

The researchers studying about the WASP-107b have recently found that the core mass of the giant exoplanet is much lower than what was previously assumed.

Recent Study on WASP-107b

WASP-107b is an exoplanet and was discovered in 2017. Earlier, the scientists believed that the planet was huge in size due to its huge gas envelope that surrounded the planet. Also, the scientists believed that such huge gas envelopes are possible only with massive and dense cores. However, the recent study says that the cores of WASP-107b are not as dense as thought earlier.

About WASP-107b

• WASP-107b is a super-Neptune exoplanet. A super-Neptune exoplanet is a planet that is more massive than Neptune. Sometimes, a planet falling in this range is also called “sub-Saturn”. They are five to seven times as large as the earth.
• It orbits the star WASP-107.
• It is 200 light years away from the earth.
• It is located in the constellation Virgo.
• The unique feature of WASP-107b is that the planet migrated inward from its birth orbit. This, according to the scientists might have occurred due to the interaction with a heavier planet.
• The atmosphere of WASP-107b is made of Helium. Discovery of helium in WASP-107b in 2018, was the first-time helium was discovered in an exoplanet.
• Though the planet is huge (of the size of Jupiter), its mass is less than one-tenth of Jupiter. This makes it one of the lowest density exoplanets.

Comet like tail in WASP-107b

WASP-107b has a comet-like tail. This is because, the helium absorption occurring in the atmosphere of the planet has increased the temperature to five hundred degrees Celsius. This makes it one of the hottest known exoplanets. Such huge temperatures are boiling off its surfaces. This leaves a comet like tail as WASP-107b is revolving around its star.

Month: Current Affairs - January, 2021