WASP-12 b

WASP-12 b

Differing by about 10% from a spherical planet, WASP-12 b’s prolate shape is visually unique. This exoplanet demonstrates how tidal heating occurs, when in close proximity to a sun and in an eccentric orbit. Similar Jupiter-mass planets are awe-inspiring, but this planet is among the hottest known. It is also the first planet found where the Carbon-Oxygen ratio is reversed. With more carbon than oxygen, rocks of graphite and diamond may be produced, inspiring artistic geometry.

Medium

Watercolor on Paper

Artist

Eva Bod ’20

Curated Resources

WASP-12 b, Exoplanet Catalog, Exoplanet Exploration, NASA

WASP-12 b, Eyes on Exoplanets, Exoplanet Exploration, NASA

Leslie Hebb, Andrew Collier-Cameron, Benoît Loeillet, Don Pollacco, Guillaume Hébrard, Rachel Street, François Bouchy, Eric Stempels, Claire Moutou, Elaine Simpson, Stéphane Udry, Yogesh Joshi, Richard West, Ian Skillen, David Wilson, Iain McDonald, Neale Gibson, Suzanne Aigrain, David Anderson, Chris Benn, Damian Christian, Becky Enoch, Carole Haswell, Coel Hellier, Keith Horne, Jonathan Irwin, Tim Lister, Pierre Maxted, Michel Mayor, Andrew Norton, Neil Parley, Frédéric Pont, Didier Queloz, Barry Smalley, & Peter Wheatley, “WASP-12b: The Hottest Transiting Extrasolar Planet Yet Discovered”, Astrophysics Journal, 10 March 2009

“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