55 Cancri e

55 Cancri e, Janssen

Twice as big as our planet, this super-Earth is captivating for more than its size. Some astronomers believe that 55 Cancri e may have lava flows on the surface, a luminous and exciting prospect. First discovered in 2004 by a team from the University of Texas, researchers have estimated the surface temperature to be around 2,700 degrees Celsius. The bright, glowing quality of this painting was inspired by this super-hot, super-sized exoplanet.

Medium

Oil on Canvas

Artist

Eva Bod ’20

Curated Resources

55 Cancri e, Exoplanet Catalog, Exoplanet Exploration, NASA

55 Cancri e, Eyes on Exoplanets, Exoplanet Exploration, NASA

55 Cancri e, Exoplanet Travel Bureau, Exoplanet Exploration, NASA

Barbara McArthur, Michael Endl, William Cochran, Fritz Benedict, Debra Fischer, Geoffrey Marcy, Paul Butler, Dominique Naef, Michel Mayor, Diedre Queloz, Stephane Udry, & Thomas Harrison, “Detection of a Neptune-Mass Planet in the ρ1 Cancri System Using the Hobby-Eberly Telescope”, Astrophysics Journal, Letters, 8 September 2004

“Your Guide to Exoplanets,” The Planetary Society

“The Different Kind of Exoplanets You Meet in the Milky Way,” The Planetary Society

“How to Search for Exoplanets”, The Planetary Society

“What Is the Habitable Zone?,” The Planetary Society