The oval exoplanet is shaped like a rugby ball due to the tides created by the gravitational interaction of its star. Image: Hypertextual.
International scientists have discovered for the first time an elliptical planet that is deformed by the gravitational force of its host star, that is, by the Sun.
on, Astronomers theorized about this change in an object’s mass in space; However, there was no record of the effect of “rugby ball”.
The article, published Jan. 11 in the Journal of Astronomy and Astrophysics, notes that exoplanet WASP-103b has been altered by strong forces so that it is there between it and its host star.
They also discovered that their sun would be much hotter and larger than ours.“This exoplanet takes less than a day to wrap around its star and is shaped more like a rugby ball than a ball,” said Jorge Lillo, a researcher with the Center for Astrobiology (CAB). Box.
Why discovered an exoplanet oval shape?
This phenomenon will not be alien to scientists, due to the influences that the Sun and the Moon have on each planet. A clear example is the tides that are produced in the circumference of the Earth by the influence of the Moon, which are generated by the orbit itself.
Similarly, the sun also generates some effects on the planet, but it is not significant because it is very far from the Earth. However, the star of an exoplanet, WASAP-103, has a similar temperature and is 1.7 times larger than our sun; Therefore, it has an effect on the detected element.
How is the planet discovered internally?
The exoplanet WASP-103b is twice the size of Jupiter and 1.5 times more massive. It is also closer to its host star, which can cause large tides.
Through the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Khufu Space Telescope, and in combination with data obtained by NASA/ESA’s Hubble and Spitzer, astronomers have discovered that tidal forces are the cause of the deformation of an exoplanet.
This effect can be verified thanks to the high-resolution images emitted by the AstraLux instrument at the Calar Alto Observatory (Almeria).
On the other hand, the Khufu telescope was able to measure the changes of light that occur on an exoplanet when it passes in front of its star.
On this occasion, he was able to detect the small signal that an exoplanet is undergoing deformation caused by tidal forces.
In addition, their data allowed them to derive a parameter called the love number, which measures how mass is distributed within the planet. This way you can determine if your soil is rocky, gaseous or liquid.
“Understanding this internal structure is essential to understanding the processes of formation and evolution of planetary systems,” says Lilo Books.
What is the discovered exoplanet made of?
The exoplanet WASP-103b is called the love number, and it is similar to Jupiter. That is, the internal structure can be similar despite having twice the radius. This means that it can be “amplified” by the heat emitted by its star and by other mechanisms that have not yet been studied.
It is important to mention that the study indicates that the orbital period of the elliptical exoplanet can increase and that it will move away from its star. This suggests that tidal forces are not the only ones affecting the planet; However, more research will be required.
(With information from Astronomy and astrophysics)
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