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Hot Jupiter facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Hot Jupiters are a class of gas giant exoplanets that are physically similar to Jupiter but have very short orbital periods (P < 10 days). The closeness to their stars and their high surface-atmosphere temperatures led to the nickname.

Hot Jupiters are the easiest extrasolar planets to detect via the radial-velocity method. The oscillations they induce in their parent stars' motion are large and rapid compared to those of other types of planets. One of the best-known hot Jupiters is 51 Pegasi b. Discovered in 1995, it was the first extrasolar planet found orbiting a Sun-like star. 51 Pegasi b has an orbital period of about 4 days.

Images for kids

  • HD188753-hot-jupiter-1

    Artist's impression of HD 188753 b, a hot Jupiter

  • Exoplanet Period-Mass Scatter Discovery Method TR

    Hot Jupiters (along left edge, including most of planets detected using the transit method, indicated with black dots) discovered up to 2 January 2014

  • Hot Jupiter with Hidden Water

    Hot Jupiter with hidden water

  • Clear to cloudy hot Jupiters
    Comparison of "hot Jupiter" exoplanets (artist concept).
    From top left to lower right: WASP-12b, WASP-6b, WASP-31b, WASP-39b, HD 189733b, HAT-P-12b, WASP-17b, WASP-19b, HAT-P-1b and HD 209458b.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Júpiter caliente para niños

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Hot Jupiter Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.