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Ultra-Hot Jupiter-Sized Exoplanet Illustration
This is an artist's illustration of the planet KELT-20b which orbits a blue-white star. The giant planet is so close to its star (5 million miles) the torrent of ultraviolet radiation from the star heats the planet's atmosphere to over 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit. This creates a thermal layer where the atmosphere increases in temperature with altitude. This is the best evidence to date – gleaned from the Hubble Space Telescope – for a host star affecting a planet's atmosphere directly. The seething planet is 456 light-years away.
- Release DateApril 6, 2022
- Science ReleaseHubble Probes Extreme Weather on Ultra-Hot Jupiters
- CreditNASA, ESA, Leah Hustak (STScI)
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Last Updated
Mar 28, 2025
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Media
Claire Andreoli
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
Greenbelt, Maryland
claire.andreoli@nasa.gov