UNM Newsroom / News / Data reveals evidence of molecular absorption in the atmosphere of a hot Neptune

LTT9779 system: This artist's impression

LTT9779 system: This artist's impression

shows the LTT9779 system approximately to scale, with the hot Neptune-sized planet at left and its bright, nearby star at right. The trail of material streaming off of the planet is hypothetical but likely, based on the intense irradiation of this planet.

Credit: Ethen Schmidt, Kansas University

LTT9779b orbit: This artist's impression

LTT9779b orbit: This artist's impression

shows LTT9779b near the star it orbits, and highlights the planet's ultra-hot (2000 Kelvin) day-side and its quite-toasty night-side (around 1000 K).

Credit: Ethen Schmidt, Kansas University

LTT9779b transiting: This artist's impression

LTT9779b transiting: This artist's impression

shows LTT9779b transiting the star it orbits. This transit briefly blocks an appreciable fraction of the star's light, and is how the planet was first discovered by NASA's TESS mission.

Credit: Ethen Schmidt, Kansas University

Data reveals evidence of molecular absorption in the atmosphere of a hot Neptune

By Steve Carr October 26, 2020

Categories: Front Page Faculty News Physics & Astronomy Research

Tags: research TESS Spitzer NASA NASA Spitzer Space Telescope

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