Discovery | |
---|---|
Discovered by | R.G. West et al. (SuperWASP) [1] |
Discovery date | October 21, 2013 |
Transit (including secondary eclipses) | |
Orbital characteristics [2] | |
0.033±0.0005 AU | |
Eccentricity | 0 |
1.809886±0.000001 d | |
Inclination | 88.0°±1.6° |
Star | WASP-76 |
Physical characteristics | |
Mean radius | 1.83±0.06 RJ |
Mass | 0.92±0.03 MJ |
Temperature | 2500±200 K [3] |
WASP-76b is an exoplanet classified as a Hot Jupiter. It is located in the constellation Pisces and orbits its host star, WASP-76, at a distance of approximately 0.033 astronomical units (AU). The orbital period of WASP-76b is approximately 1.8 days. Its mass is about 0.92 times that of Jupiter. [4] [5] [6] The discovery of WASP-76b took place on October 21, 2013, and it is currently the only known planet in the WASP-76 system as of 2022. The equilibrium temperature of WASP-76b is estimated to be around 2,190 K (1,920 °C; 3,480 °F), However, the measured daytime temperature is higher, reaching approximately 2,500 ± 200 K (2,227 ± 200 °C; 4,040 ± 360 °F). [3]
Data collected from the Hubble and Spitzer Space Telescopes have provided evidence of titanium oxide and small amounts of water within the atmosphere of WASP-76b. [7] Further analysis using higher-resolution spectra has revealed the presence of ionized elements such as lithium, sodium, magnesium, calcium, manganese, potassium, and iron. [8] The existence of calcium (Ca) was confirmed by the Gemini North Observatory in 2021, [9] [10] [11] and in 2022, the element barium (Ba) was also detected. [12]
The atmosphere of WASP-76b is characterized as cloudy, predominantly grey, and exhibits significant thermal incandescence. [13]
In March 2020, an initial spectroscopic analysis revealed the presence of neutral iron in the atmosphere of WASP-76b. The conditions required for the vaporization and condensation of neutral iron were determined to be a temperature of 2,400 °C (2,700 K; 4,400 °F) and a lower temperature of 1,400 °C (1,700 K; 2,600 °F) for condensation. Under these specific temperature conditions, neutral iron could potentially precipitate like liquid rain. [14]
In May 2020, the Hubble Space Telescope discovered that the previous spectrum of WASP-76b had been distorted by the light from a companion star. Subsequently, an updated atmospheric model was developed using the most recent spectrum data. The revised model indicates the presence of a cloudy hydrogen-helium envelope and suggests the absence of previously reported neutral iron, including "iron rain." [15] Additionally, only upper limits on the presence of titanium and vanadium oxides were detected. [13] By 2021, the controversy surrounding the presence of iron condensation had been resolved by demonstrating that the observed signal may also be due to temperature variations between different parts of the planet. However, existing data is insufficient to definitively distinguish between these two scenarios. [16]
Based on planetary atmospheric circulation models for WASP-76b, it is suggested that dense cloud layers composed of aluminum oxide, neutral iron, or magnesium orthosilicate may form. However, significant condensation of iron on the night side of the planet is not indicated by the available data. [17]
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HD 106515 is a binary star in the constellation of Virgo.
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WASP-121b, formally named Tylos, is an exoplanet orbiting the star WASP-121. WASP-121b is the first exoplanet found to contain water in an extrasolar planetary stratosphere. WASP-121b is in the constellation Puppis, and is about 858 light-years from Earth.
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WASP-29 is a binary star system 285 light-years away in the constellation of Phoenix. The primary star is a K-type main-sequence star. Its comoving companion, a red dwarf star, was discovered in 2021. The star system kinematically belongs to the thin disk of the Milky Way.
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WASP-69, also named Wouri, is a K-type main-sequence star 164 light-years away. Its surface temperature is 4782±15 K. WASP-69 is slightly enriched in heavy elements compared to the Sun, with a metallicity Fe/H index of 0.10±0.01, and is much younger than the Sun at 2 billion years. The data regarding starspot activity of WASP-69 are inconclusive, but spot coverage of the photosphere may be very high.
WASP-80 is a K-type main-sequence star about 162 light-years away. The star's age is much younger than the Sun's at 1.352±0.222 billion years. WASP-80 is similar to the Sun in concentration of heavy elements, although this measurement is highly uncertain.