This Planet's Death Spiral Could Teach Us A Lesson About Rocky Exoplanets

July 15, 2025 Universe Today

This Planet's Death Spiral Could Teach Us A Lesson About Rocky Exoplanets
By Evan Gough (https://ift.tt/qK80tHv)

This artist's illustration shows an Ultra-Hot Jupiter extremely close to its star. Astronomers are tracking the planets orbital decay as it follows a death spiral to its star. Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

Macquarie University astronomers have tracked an extreme planet's orbital decay, confirming it is spiraling toward its star in a cosmic death dance that could end in three possible ways. It could cross the Roche line and be torn apart, it could plunge to destruction in its star, or it could be stripped all the way down to a rocky core.

July 16, 2025 at 06:52AM
via read more...

No comments

Subscribe to: Post Comments ( Atom )