Planetary Hot Spot Not Under the Glare of Star

Spitzer_ssc2010-08b_1024

spitzer_ssc2010-08b October 19th, 2010

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/R. Hurt (SSC)

NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope has found that the hottest part of a distant planet, named upsilon Andromedae b, is not under the glare of its host star as might be expected. Instead, the planet's hot spot -- illustrated here in this artist's concept in brighter, orange hues -- is more than 80 degrees to the side, closer to the dark side of the planet.

The planet is a hot gas giant that whips around its star every 4.6 days. Because it is so close to its star, it is tidally locked, meaning that one side is eternally bombarded by the star's radiation. The other dark side never sees the light of day. Astronomers are scratching their heads as to why the planet's hot material is found so far over to the side.

Provider: Spitzer Space Telescope

Image Source: http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/images/3410-ssc2010-08b-Planetary-Hot-Spot-Not-Under-the-Glare-of-Star

Curator: Spitzer Space Telescope, Pasadena, CA, USA

Image Use Policy: Public Domain

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Image Details

Image Type
Artwork
Object Name
Upsilon Andromedae b
Subject - Milky Way
Planet > Type > Gas Giant
Planet > Special Cases > Hot Jupiter

Distance

Universescale1
44 light years
Spitzer_ssc2010-08b_1280
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ID
ssc2010-08b
Subject Category
B.1.1.2.   B.1.3.2.  
Subject Name
Upsilon Andromedae b
Credits
NASA/JPL-Caltech/R. Hurt (SSC)
Type
Artwork
Image Quality
Good
Distance Notes
Facility
Instrument
Color Assignment
Band
Bandpass
Central Wavelength
Start Time
Integration Time
Dataset ID
Notes
Coordinate Frame
Equinox
Reference Value
Reference Dimension
Reference Pixel
Scale
Rotation
Coordinate System Projection:
Quality
FITS Header
Notes
Creator (Curator)
Spitzer Space Telescope
URL
http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu
Name
Email
Telephone
Address
1200 E. California Blvd.
City
Pasadena
State/Province
CA
Postal Code
91125
Country
USA
Rights
Public Domain
Publisher
Spitzer Science Center
Publisher ID
spitzer
Resource ID
ssc2010-08b.tif
Metadata Date
2011-09-01
Metadata Version
1.1
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Detailed color mapping information coming soon...

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Universescalefull
44 light years

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