Imagine planets that are so extreme they could tear you apart! These are some of the most fascinating planets scientists have discovered. Let’s explore these incredible worlds, starting with Kepler-70b, also known as Kepler’s Inferno.
Kepler-70b is an exoplanet that orbits a star called Kepler-70. It’s known for its scorching temperatures, reaching up to 12,000 degrees Fahrenheit (6,800 degrees Celsius), which is even hotter than our sun! If you tried to visit, you’d be vaporized instantly. However, some scientists think it might not actually exist. Kepler-70b was discovered by the Kepler telescope, which detected it through the reflection of starlight. It’s believed to be a gas giant, similar to Jupiter, but much hotter and closer to its star.
If you’re afraid of the dark, TrEs-2b is not the place for you. This planet reflects less than 1% of the light that hits it, making it the darkest known planet. Standing on its surface would mean being surrounded by complete darkness, with temperatures around 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit (980 degrees Celsius). Despite the darkness, it glows red due to its high temperature.
HD 189733 b is a beautiful cobalt blue planet, but don’t be fooled by its appearance. It experiences deadly sideways rain made of glass, driven by winds reaching 5,400 mph. The blue color comes from clouds filled with silicate particles. Like the other planets, it’s a hot Jupiter.
Wasp 12b is another hot Jupiter being slowly consumed by its star. It’s so hot that it absorbs all visible light and is 40 times larger than Jupiter, orbiting its star in less than a day. With temperatures of 4,700 degrees Fahrenheit (2,600 degrees Celsius), it might only have 10 million years left before being completely swallowed.
OGLE-2005-BLG-390Lb is a Neptune-like planet discovered in 2005. It’s much cooler than the others, with temperatures of 428 degrees Fahrenheit (220 degrees Celsius) below zero. This makes it too cold for liquid water, likely covering it in frozen oceans.
GJ 1214 b is a Super-Earth known as a “water world.” It’s larger than Earth but smaller than gas giants, with more water than our planet. However, the water is probably in the form of steam or high-pressure ice, with temperatures around 446 degrees Fahrenheit, making it uninhabitable for humans.
Dimidium, or 51 Pegasi b, is a hot Jupiter located about 50 light-years away. The side facing its star is extremely hot, with temperatures reaching 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit (980 degrees Celsius), causing iron to melt and rain down.
55 Cancri e, also known as Janssen, has a molten surface and is completely uninhabitable. Scientists believe the sky sparkles at night due to silicates in the atmosphere reflecting the lava.
Osiris is a hot Jupiter with carbon and oxygen but cannot support life. Its atmosphere is being stripped away by its star at high speeds.
Rogue planets like Ots-44, a free-floating brown dwarf, wander through space without a fixed orbit. AU Microscopii b is a gas giant bombarded by constant radiation from its star, making it a hostile environment. PSR B1257+12 b orbits a pulsar, facing constant radiation and harsh conditions.
TOI-849 b is a Chthonian planet with little to no atmosphere, and its surface temperature is around 1,500 degrees Celsius. GJ 504 b is a Jovian planet that glows a dark cherry blossom color due to its heat. TYC 8998-760-1 b is a young brown dwarf with many mysteries surrounding it.
Lastly, PSO J318.5-22 is another rogue planet with high temperatures and no sun to provide light. LHS 3844 b is a super-Earth with a dark side that may be tectonically active, presenting extreme temperature variations.
Even Jupiter, which we know well, is a harsh environment with freezing temperatures and intense pressure that would be fatal to any visitor.
These planets are truly fascinating, each with its own unique and extreme conditions. They remind us of the incredible diversity of worlds that exist beyond our own. If you want to learn more, check out “You Won’t Believe These Insane Planets That Actually Exist!” or watch the related video!
Choose one of the terrifying planets mentioned in the article and create a detailed profile for it. Include information such as its temperature, unique features, and why it would be dangerous to visit. Use drawings or digital art to illustrate your planet and make your profile visually appealing.
Make a comparison chart that lists all the planets discussed in the article. Compare their temperatures, atmospheric conditions, and any other interesting facts. This will help you understand the differences and similarities between these extreme worlds.
Imagine you are an astronaut tasked with visiting one of these extreme planets. Design a space suit that could withstand the harsh conditions of your chosen planet. Consider the temperature, atmospheric pressure, and any other challenges you might face. Present your design to the class and explain your choices.
Write a short science fiction story set on one of the planets from the article. Use the planet’s unique characteristics as a backdrop for your story. Be creative and think about how humans might interact with such an extreme environment.
Participate in a class debate about which planet from the article is the most extreme and why. Use facts from the article to support your argument. This will help you practice critical thinking and public speaking skills.
Here’s a sanitized version of the provided YouTube transcript:
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Unassuming blue worlds where you’ll encounter extreme conditions, worlds being consumed by their own stars, planets where darkness prevails, and much more – these are some of the most intriguing planets scientists have ever discovered. Let’s start with Kepler-70b. This exoplanet is often referred to as Kepler’s Inferno because it burns at incredibly high temperatures. It’s one of two postulated exoplanets that orbit the Subdwarf B star Kepler-70, the other being Kepler-70c. Kepler-70b is the hottest known exoplanet, with a surface temperature of 12,000 degrees Fahrenheit (6,800 degrees Celsius), which is hotter than our sun! If you were to attempt to visit this planet, you would be vaporized before realizing it. However, some research suggests that it may not actually exist.
Kepler-70b and 70c were discovered by the Kepler telescope through the reflection of starlight rather than blocking it. It appears to be a gas giant, and millions of years ago, it was likely a hot Jupiter. Hot Jupiters are a class of gas giant exoplanets that are similar in physical characteristics to Jupiter but typically have much shorter orbital periods. They are often found close to their stars, resulting in their extremely high temperatures.
In its current state, Kepler-70b could not sustain life unless we discover an extraordinary alien race made of fire. You would likely want to avoid it unless you’re looking for a hazardous experience in space.
From burning bright to lurking in darkness, if you’re afraid of the dark, you might want to steer clear of TrEs-2b, the darkest known planet orbiting a star. According to NASA, it reflects less than 1 percent of any light that hits it. If you could stand on its surface, you would be enveloped in absolute darkness, unlike anything possible on Earth. TrEs-2b is also a gas giant and a hot Jupiter. If you were on TrEs-2b, you would be trapped in darkness and experience temperatures of 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit (980 degrees Celsius). Interestingly, despite the darkness, the planet emits a red glow, likely due to its high temperature.
Next, we have HD 189733 b, a cobalt blue planet that may look inviting but is actually quite dangerous. It experiences sideways rain made of glass, propelled by winds reaching 5,400 mph, which would be lethal. The blue color of the planet comes from clouds laced with silicate particles, and like the previous planets, it is also a hot Jupiter.
Wasp 12b is another hot Jupiter that is currently being consumed by its star. It is so hot that it absorbs all visible light and is 40 times larger than Jupiter, completing an orbit in less than one Earth day. Its temperature reaches 4,700 degrees Fahrenheit (2,600 degrees Celsius), and it may only have 10 million years left before it is completely swallowed by its star.
Moving on to OGLE-2005-BLG-390Lb, a Neptune-like planet discovered in 2005. It is much cooler than the others, with a temperature of 220 degrees Celsius (428 degrees Fahrenheit) below zero, making it too cold for liquid water and likely covered in frozen oceans.
GJ 1214 b, often called a “water world,” is a Super-Earth that orbits the star GJ 1214. It is larger than Earth but smaller than gas giants, and it has more water than Earth. However, the water is likely in the form of steam or high-pressure ice, with temperatures around 446 degrees Fahrenheit, making it inhospitable for human life.
Dimidium, or 51 Pegasi b, is another hot Jupiter located about 50 light-years away. The side facing its star experiences extreme heat, with temperatures reaching 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit (980 degrees Celsius), causing iron to melt and rain down.
55 Cancri e, or Janssen, has a molten surface and is completely uninhabitable. Scientists believe that the sky sparkles at night due to silicates in the atmosphere reflecting the lava.
Osiris is a hot Jupiter that has carbon and oxygen but cannot sustain life. Its atmosphere is being stripped away by its star at high speeds.
Rogue planets like Ots-44, a free-floating brown dwarf, pose a unique concern, as they wander through space without a fixed orbit.
AU Microscopii b is a gas giant that experiences constant radiation from its star, making it a hostile environment.
PSR B1257+12 b is a terrestrial exoplanet that orbits a pulsar, facing constant radiation and inhospitable conditions.
TOI-849 b is a Chthonian planet with little to no atmosphere, and its surface temperature is around 1,500 degrees Celsius.
GJ 504 b is a Jovian planet that glows a dark cherry blossom color due to its heat.
TYC 8998-760-1 b is a young brown dwarf with many unanswered questions surrounding it.
Lastly, PSO J318.5-22 is another rogue planet with high temperatures and no sun to provide light.
LHS 3844 b is a super-Earth with a dark side that may be tectonically active, presenting extreme temperature variations.
Jupiter, while familiar, is also a harsh environment, with freezing temperatures and intense pressure that would be fatal to any visitor.
Now check out “You Won’t Believe These Insane Planets That Actually Exist!” or watch this video instead!
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This version maintains the informative nature of the original transcript while removing any potentially inappropriate or overly dramatic language.
Planets – Large celestial bodies that orbit a star, such as the Sun, and do not produce their own light. – Example sentence: Earth is one of the eight planets that orbit the Sun in our solar system.
Exoplanet – A planet that orbits a star outside our solar system. – Example sentence: Scientists have discovered an exoplanet that may have conditions suitable for life.
Temperature – A measure of how hot or cold something is, often used to describe the heat of celestial bodies. – Example sentence: The temperature on the surface of Venus is extremely high due to its thick atmosphere.
Atmosphere – The layer of gases surrounding a planet or other celestial body. – Example sentence: Earth’s atmosphere is composed mainly of nitrogen and oxygen, which supports life.
Water – A liquid compound made of hydrogen and oxygen, essential for life as we know it. – Example sentence: Scientists are searching for water on Mars to determine if it could have supported life.
Gas – A state of matter without a fixed shape or volume, often found in the atmospheres of planets. – Example sentence: Jupiter is a gas giant, meaning it is mostly composed of hydrogen and helium.
Giant – A term used to describe a large planet, usually composed mostly of gases. – Example sentence: Saturn is known as a gas giant because of its massive size and gaseous composition.
Dark – Lacking light; often used to describe regions in space with little to no light. – Example sentence: The dark side of the Moon is not visible from Earth because it is always facing away from us.
Light – Electromagnetic radiation that is visible to the human eye, allowing us to see celestial objects. – Example sentence: The light from distant stars takes many years to reach Earth, allowing us to see them in the night sky.
Radiation – Energy that travels through space in the form of waves or particles, including light and heat. – Example sentence: The Sun emits radiation that provides the energy necessary for life on Earth.