Photo: European Space Agency / Courtesy
Scientists from the European Space Agency (ESA) discovered a planet in the constellation of Hercules whose shape is similar to an American football . This is the first time that researchers have found a planet with these characteristics.
They consider that the discovery of this planet, which was identified as WASP-103b, can offer information to better understand how the so-called star-hugging planets work. This type of celestial bodies are named for their proximity to a star, which causes them to be affected by its gravitational forces.
Agreed with the investigations its unusual shape is caused, precisely, by the tidal forces generated by the star of that solar system which is 1.7 times larger than our Sun .
The discovery of WASP-103b was possible thanks to data collected by the Cheops Space Telescope controlled by ESA and NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope, in conjunction with the work of scientists from both space agencies.
“This is the first time that such an analysis has been carried out, and we can hope that observation over a longer time interval will strengthen this observation and lead to a better understanding of the internal structure of the planet,” said Jacques L. askar, one of the scientists who participated in the investigation.
Experts point out that this type of behavior can also be observed on Earth, on a much smaller scale , due to the force exerted by the Moon and the Sun. In the terrestrial case, the greatest demonstration of its attraction can be seen in the oceans with the effect of the tides.
“For example, here on Earth we have tides due to the Moon and to the Sun, but we can only see the tides in the oceans. The rocky part doesn’t move as much. By measuring how much the planet is deformed, we can tell how much it is rocky, gaseous or water”, says Susana Barros, from the Institute of Astrophysics and Sciences of Space and the University of Porto (Portugal) another of the project scientists.
It is expected that once the James Webb Telescope begins operations at 100% of its capabilities, can you provide more information about the WASP-103b and from other planets that are hundreds of light years away.
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