Using the Hubble Space Telescope , uranologist have discovered a Neptune - sized major planet that ’s literally go away in front of our eyes . The exoplanet is moderately close to the star and is losing mass at a charge per unit never seen before . The finding are report inAstronomy & Astrophysics .
The major planet in question is called GJ 3470b and is 97 sluttish - years from Earth . It is evaporating at a rate 100 time faster than the likewise sized major planet GJ 436b . This staggering rate could explain the lack of spying of a possible year of planets eff as hot Neptunes as well as other aspects of how planetary systems evolve .
astronomer have so far hear roughly 4,000 exoplanets . Among those orbiting closest to their star , we ’ve found Earth - sized satellite or somewhat bigger , the so - called superintendent - Earths , and infernally raging gas giants ( hot Jupiters ) . Mid - sized natural gas major planet appear to be missing .
This research provide some damning evidence that the vapor is enough to significantly downsize a satellite . These Neptunes get stripped of their atmosphere by the vivid light of their wiz , scale down them to a much smaller planet .
“ This is the smoking triggerman that planet can fall back a significant fraction of their entire mass . GJ 3470b is losing more of its mass than any other planet we seen so far ; in only a few billion year from now , one-half of the planet may be buy the farm , ” co - author David Sing , Bloomberg distinguished prof at Johns Hopkins University , said in astatement .
The squad estimates that GJ 3470b has already lose 35 per centum of its original pile , and since it ’s orbiting such a young combat-ready star , they ask it to be reduce to a rocky core in just a few billion years . The piece of work is part of the Panchromatic Comparative Exoplanet Treasury ( PanCET ) program , the largest exoplanet notice programme using Hubble .
“ We ’re starting to better understand how major planet are mold and what properties influence their overall composition , ” Sing said . “ Our goal with this cogitation and the overarching PanCET program is to take a broad smell at these planets ’ atmospheres to determine how each planet is affected by its own environment . By comparing dissimilar planets , we can initiate piecing together the great picture in how they evolve . ”
The team contrive to look for more of these vaporise red-hot Neptunes , specially as upcoming observation tower like the James Webb Space Telescope will hopefully help astronomers discover many more .
