WASP-104b
Discovery[1]
Discovery date2014
transit
Orbital characteristics[2]
Eccentricity0.014+0.019
−0.010
1.75540646±0.00000028 d
StarWASP-104
Physical characteristics
Mean radius
1.094±0.013RJ
Mass1.205+0.049
−0.044MJ

WASP-104b is a hot Jupiter exoplanet that orbits the star WASP-104.[1] It is considered to be one of the darkest exoplanets discovered.[3][4] WASP-104b was discovered in 2014; according to a 2018 study at Keele University, the planet's dense atmosphere of potassium and sodium absorbs more than 97% of light it receives.[3]

Characteristics

Colors of the planet

Researchers have considered WASP-104b to be one of the darkest exoplanets ever discovered.[3][5] In 2018, scientists from Keele University said the exoplanet's thick sodium and potassium atmosphere can absorb more than 97% of the light that falls on it.[3] A paper published by Cornell University Library describes the exoplanet as "darker than charcoal" and "one of the least reflective planets found to date", even darker than WASP-12b which absorbs 94% of it receives.[3][6] The only other exoplanet thought to be darker than WASP-104b is TrES-2b.[3] Its reflectance has been compared with that of WASP-12b despite being somewhat darker.[7]

In 2020, a transmission spectroscopy study has indicated that WASP-104b has a red-colored cloud deck and possibly hazes.[8]

Size, radius, and temperature

WASP-104b's size is comparable to that of Jupiter; its mass and radius are 1.272 times and 1.137 times greater than Jupiter's, respectively.[9] It has 12.5 times the mass of Earth and a low density, and may be composed of gas.[9]

Orbit and host star

WASP-104b is the only known exoplanet to orbit WASP-104, a 3-billion-year-old G8 star. WASP-104b's orbital period is 1.8 days; it is located 2.6 million miles from its star and has an orbital radius of 0.02918 astronomical units (2,712,000 mi).[10][9] WASP-104 and its planet are located 466 light years away from the Sun in the constellation Leo.[9][3][10]

References

  1. ^ a b Smith, A. M. S.; et al. (2014). "WASP-104b and WASP-106b: Two transiting hot Jupiters in 1.75-day and 9.3-day orbits". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 570. A64. arXiv:1408.0887. Bibcode:2014A&A...570A..64S. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201424752. S2CID 119245284.
  2. ^ Wang, Xian-Yu; et al. (1 July 2021). "Transiting Exoplanet Monitoring Project (TEMP). VI. The Homogeneous Refinement of System Parameters for 39 Transiting Hot Jupiters with 127 New Light Curves". The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series. 255 (1). 15. arXiv:2105.14851. Bibcode:2021ApJS..255...15W. doi:10.3847/1538-4365/ac0835. S2CID 235253975.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Lozovschi, Alexandra (23 April 2018). "'Darker Than Coal': Researchers Find A 'Hot Jupiter' That Absorbs Nearly 99 Percent Of Light". Inquisitr.
  4. ^ "Distant Jupiter-like world may be the darkest planet ever found". New Scientist. 20 April 2018.
  5. ^ Hignett, Katherine (23 April 2018). "Wasp-104b: Hot Jupiter Could Be Darkest Planet Ever Discovered". Newsweek.
  6. ^ Močnik, T.; Hellier, C.; Southworth, J. (2018). "WASP-104b is Darker Than Charcoal". The Astronomical Journal. 156 (2). 44. arXiv:1804.05334. Bibcode:2018AJ....156...44M. doi:10.3847/1538-3881/aacb26. S2CID 119361462.
  7. ^ Jean-Pierre Chigne (24 April 2018). "WASP-104b Hot Jupiter Traps Nearly 99 Percent Of Light: What Is A Hot Jupiter And How Does It Form?". TechTimes.
  8. ^ Chen, G.; Pallé, E.; Parviainen, H.; Wang, H.; Van Boekel, R.; Murgas, F.; Yan, F.; Béjar, V J S.; Casasayas-Barris, N.; Crouzet, N.; Esparza-Borges, E.; Fukui, A.; Garai, Z.; Kawauchi, K.; Kurita, S.; Kusakabe, N.; De Leon, J. P.; Livingston, J.; Luque, R.; Madrigal-Aguado, A.; Mori, M.; Narita, N.; Nishiumi, T.; Oshagh, M.; Sánchez-Benavente, M.; Tamura, M.; Terada, Y.; Watanabe, N. (2021), "An enhanced slope in the transmission spectrum of the hot Jupiter WASP-104b", Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 500 (4): 5420–5435, arXiv:2011.06329, doi:10.1093/mnras/staa3555
  9. ^ a b c d "WASP-104b". Exoplanet Exploration. 2014.
  10. ^ a b "WASP-104 b". Exoplanet Data Explorer. Archived from the original on 2018-04-24. Retrieved 2018-04-23.


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