The massive planet 2M1207b is four times the mass of Jupiter and orbits a brown dwarf (of course named 2M1207). Using the near infrared camera (Wide Field Camera 3 or WFC3) on Hubble Space Telescope, scientists measured the rotation of this cloudy planet through direct imaging. This is the first time such a measurement has been done. The clouds are patchy but colorless and probably contain silicates (vaporized rock). The atmosphere is very hot, around 2400 degrees F (1315 C).
It may cool down to be more hospitable, but not too soon!
We’ll have the live-chat turned on for this event, so feel free to talk with one another and ask questions for the panelists!
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