Astronomers find weird, warm spot on an exoplanet

[DavidDvorkin]

ScienceDaily (Oct. 19, 2010) — Observations from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope reveal a distant planet with a warm spot in the wrong place.

The gas-giant planet, named upsilon Andromedae b, orbits tightly around its star, with one face perpetually boiling under the star's heat. It belongs to a class of planets termed hot Jupiters, so called for their scorching temperatures and large, gaseous constitutions.

One might think the hottest part of these planets would be directly under the sun-facing side, but previous observations have shown that their hot spots may be shifted slightly away from this point. Astronomers thought that fierce winds might be pushing hot, gaseous material around.

But the new finding may throw this theory into question. Using Spitzer, an infrared observatory, astronomers found that upsilon Andromedae b's hot spot is offset by a whopping 80 degrees. Basically, the hot spot is over to the side of the planet instead of directly under the glare of the sun.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/10/101019140028.htm

It's so exciting to watch this area of astronomy exploding.

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. Absolutely

I even got an app that updates the database. I love it

[Proud Liberal Dem]

2. What app are you referring to and for what platform?

Please let me know. Thanks!

[nadinbrzezinski]

5. Exoplanet

IPhone, iPod and iPad.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

13. Thanks!

Just found it and downloaded it for my iPhone.
:hi:

[cbdo2007]

3. Sounds like they're planning to use their star as the energy for a giant death ray.

Just wait until Earth is lined up perfectly...

[DavidDvorkin]

4. No worries

It's 44 light years away. That means that its death ray beam would take 44 years to reach us, so we'd have plenty of warn- Oh. Never mind.

[cbdo2007]

7. No, but maybe we could use a giant mirror and reflect the ray to blast

something else....like maybe....Pluto!!!

Awesome, please help me get in touch with Nasa...this may be my destiny...

[DavidDvorkin]

9. You don't want to piss of the Plutonians, though

Dark and gloomy folk.

[cbdo2007]

11. Dammit, I thought the Plutonians left Pluto after the whole "not a planet" fiasco!!>!>!

Quick, move the giant thermal reflective exomass conspugulator (mirror) 4 degrees to the left!>!>!

Ok, I'm done, I can't come up with any more fun scientific talk today. Thanks for humoring me :)

[Brickbat]

6. I love astronomy news.

I have to say, however, that "weird warm spot" makes me snicker like a 14-year-old boy.

[MilesColtrane]

8. Silly scientists.

I've known where the hot spot is since I was fourteen.

[DavidDvorkin]

10. But did you ever get a giant grant for it?

[Uncle Joe]

12. I wonder if the atmosphere of this gaseous planet could be acting as a heat magnifier?

The more atmosphere; the hotter the temperature with more atmosphere across the side of this giant than is directly to the surface.

Just guesswork, but what the Hell, that's my two cents worth.

Thanks for the thread, DavidDvorkin.

[eppur_se_muova]

14. That's where the cat was sleeping ...

just look out for mysterious wet spots.

[DavidDvorkin]

15. Good one.