WASP-107b is a super-Neptune exoplanet that orbits the star WASP-107. It lies 200 light-years away from Earth in the constellation Virgo.[4] Its discovery was announced in 2017 by a team led by D. R. Anderson via the WASP-South.[5]
Discovery | |
---|---|
Discovered by | D. R. Anderson et al. |
Discovery date | 2017 |
WASP-South | |
Orbital characteristics | |
0.0566 ± 0.0017 AU (8,470,000 ± 250,000 km)[2] | |
Eccentricity | 0[3] |
5.7214742 d[2] | |
Star | WASP-107 |
Physical characteristics | |
Mean radius | 0.96±0.03 RJ[2] |
Mass | 0.096±0.005[2] MJ |
WASP-107b could not have formed in its current orbit. It likely migrated inward from its birth orbit beyond 1 AU due to interaction with the heavier planet WASP-107c. It is in a retrograde orbit, strongly misaligned with the equatorial plane of the parent star. The misalignment angle is equal to 118°+38
−19.[6] WASP-107c follows a highly eccentric and inclined orbit with a period of 1088+15
−16 days.[2]
WASP-107b is a super-Neptune ice giant exoplanet located 200 light years away from Earth in the constellation Virgo.[4] It is roughly the size of Jupiter but less than one-tenth of Jupiter's mass, making it one of the lowest density exoplanets.[2] Its radius is 0.96±0.03 times Jupiter's, making its atmosphere fluffy, and coupled with transiting a moderately bright K-type star, makes it a target for atmospheric characterization.[7] It is eight times nearer to its star than Mercury is to the Sun and orbits its star every 5.7 days.[4] With a temperature of 500 °C (932 °F), its atmosphere makes it one of the hottest known exoplanets.[4]
Helium was discovered in the planet's atmosphere in 2018, making it the first time helium was discovered on an exoplanet.[8] A follow-up observation with Keck in 2020 showed that the helium absorption extends beyond transit-egress.[9] Extreme ultraviolet radiation from the host star is gradually whittling down the planet's atmosphere, forming a comet-like tail 7 times as long as the radius of the planet.[10][11]
In November 2023, scientists discovered that its atmosphere contains water vapor and sulfur dioxide. The clouds on this planet are made up of silicates.[12][13] The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) revealed groundbreaking findings[14] about exoplanet WASP-107b. Utilizing its Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI), European astronomers discovered water vapor, sulfur dioxide, and silicate sand clouds in its atmosphere. This challenges existing models and deepens our understanding of exoplanetary atmospheres, marking a significant milestone in exoplanetary exploration.
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