Hot Worlds

artist's concept of a giant planet orbiting close to its star

The "hot Jupiter" planet Wasp 18 orbits its parent star in this artist's concept. Hot Jupiters are giant worlds similar to Jupiter, the largest planet in our own solar system, but much closer to their parent stars, so they are extremely hot. Such planets probably were born much farther out, then migrated inward to their current positions. [NASA/CXC/SAO/I.Pillitteri et al]

Find out more in our radio program entitled Moon and Jupiter.

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