This Planet is Inflating Into a Jupiter-Sized Balloon

The Hubble Space Telescope has discovered over 4000 exoplanets. However, some exoplanets that the HST finds are very interesting. Including one that was discovered recently. The exoplanet, named PDS 70b, is the youngest exoplanet discovered by the HST and is 379 light-years away. The exoplanet is already pretty large and is still growing.

Render of PDS 70b

Planets are formed as dust and gas swirl around in a circumstellar disk orbiting a star. Over time, through immense heat and pressure, the dust and gas condense to form a ball. It can take millions of years for planets to form. In the case of PDS 70b, the plant is “only” 5 million years old. However, the planet is still gaining mass and is the size of Jupiter right now. Scientists are going to continue to study PDS 70b to observe the formative years of planet formation.

Image Captured by HST of PDS 70b

To discover PDS 70b, researchers utilized Hubble’s ultraviolet-light sensitivity. This allows researchers to spot and measure radiation from hot gas that comes from the planet. In this case, researchers measured the mass growth rate of PDS 70b. The team took images of PDS 70b and found out that it has come to the age of its formation. Additionally, the teams discovered “hot spots” of UV light on the surface of PDS 70b. Scientists believe that the UV light was caused by hot material that extends to the planet’s surface from magnetic field lines in the planet’s atmosphere.

The image of PDS 70b is also a very important discovery. Out of the 4000 exoplanets that Hubble has found, it has only taken images of 15 of them. Adding on to this, most of those images are grainy and have a bad resolution because the planets are so far away. As a result, to study PDS 70b, scientists used a new technique to remove the glare that comes from the photos of the planets. The team hopes to use this in future missions.

Image Captured by HST of PDS 70b

Sources:

Gohd, Chelsea. “The Youngest Exoplanet Found by the Hubble Telescope Is the Size of Jupiter (and Still Growing).” Space.com, Space, 3 May 2021, www.space.com/hubble-space-telescope-pds-70b-exoplanet.