HAT-P-7b
Encyclopedia
HAT-P-7b is an extrasolar planet
discovered in 2008. It orbits very close to its parent star GSC 03547-01402
, and is both larger and more massive than Jupiter. Due to the extreme heat it receives from its star, the dayside temperature is predicted to be 2730 K. The GSC 03547-01402 system is within the field of view
of the now operational Kepler Mission
spacecraft, which confirmed the transit and orbital properties of the planet with significantly improved confidence and observed occultation
and light curve characteristics consistent with a strongly absorbing atmosphere with limited advection
to the night side. In testing itself on HAT-P-7b, Kepler proved it was sensitive enough to detect Earth-like planets.
In August 2009, it was announced that HAT-P-7b may have a retrograde orbit, based upon measurements of the Rossiter-McLaughlin effect
. This announcement came only a day after the announcement of the first planet discovered with such an orbit, WASP-17b
.
On July 4, 2011, HAT-P-7b was the subject of the Hubble Space Telescope
's one millionth science .
Extrasolar planet
An extrasolar planet, or exoplanet, is a planet outside the Solar System. A total of such planets have been identified as of . It is now known that a substantial fraction of stars have planets, including perhaps half of all Sun-like stars...
discovered in 2008. It orbits very close to its parent star GSC 03547-01402
HAT-P-7
HAT-P-7 is a yellow white dwarf star located about 1044 light-years away in the constellation Cygnus. The apparent magnitude of this star is 10.5, which means it is not visible to the naked eye but can be seen with a small telescope on a clear dark night.-Planetary system:This star has one known...
, and is both larger and more massive than Jupiter. Due to the extreme heat it receives from its star, the dayside temperature is predicted to be 2730 K. The GSC 03547-01402 system is within the field of view
Field of view
The field of view is the extent of the observable world that is seen at any given moment....
of the now operational Kepler Mission
Kepler Mission
The Kepler spacecraft is an American space observatory, the space-based portion of NASA's Kepler Mission to discover Earth-like planets orbiting other stars. The spacecraft is named in honor of the 17th-century German astronomer Johannes Kepler...
spacecraft, which confirmed the transit and orbital properties of the planet with significantly improved confidence and observed occultation
Occultation
An occultation is an event that occurs when one object is hidden by another object that passes between it and the observer. The word is used in astronomy . It can also refer to any situation wherein an object in the foreground blocks from view an object in the background...
and light curve characteristics consistent with a strongly absorbing atmosphere with limited advection
Advection
Advection, in chemistry, engineering and earth sciences, is a transport mechanism of a substance, or a conserved property, by a fluid, due to the fluid's bulk motion in a particular direction. An example of advection is the transport of pollutants or silt in a river. The motion of the water carries...
to the night side. In testing itself on HAT-P-7b, Kepler proved it was sensitive enough to detect Earth-like planets.
In August 2009, it was announced that HAT-P-7b may have a retrograde orbit, based upon measurements of the Rossiter-McLaughlin effect
Rossiter-McLaughlin effect
The Rossiter–McLaughlin effect is a spectroscopic phenomenon observed when either an eclipsing binary's secondary star or an extrasolar planet is seen to transit across the face of the primary or parent star. As the main star rotates on its axis, one quadrant of its photosphere will be seen to be...
. This announcement came only a day after the announcement of the first planet discovered with such an orbit, WASP-17b
WASP-17b
WASP-17b is an exoplanet in the constellation Scorpius that is orbiting the star WASP-17. Its discovery was announced on 11 August 2009. It is the first planet discovered to have a retrograde orbit, meaning it orbits in a direction counter to the rotation of its host star. This discovery changed...
.
On July 4, 2011, HAT-P-7b was the subject of the Hubble Space Telescope
Hubble Space Telescope
The Hubble Space Telescope is a space telescope that was carried into orbit by a Space Shuttle in 1990 and remains in operation. A 2.4 meter aperture telescope in low Earth orbit, Hubble's four main instruments observe in the near ultraviolet, visible, and near infrared...
's one millionth science .