The Planet Hotter Than a Star Exoplanets, those distant worlds orbiting alien suns, have captured our imaginations for decades. But KELT-9b , a scorching gas giant, transcends mere fascination. It's a crucible forged by fire, holding the title of the hottest exoplanet ever discovered. Let's embark on a journey to this inferno and explore the secrets it holds. Unveiling the Exoplanet Atmosphere Unlike the familiar, rocky planets of our solar system, KELT-9b belongs to a class known as " Ultrahot Jupiters ". Orbiting its star, KELT-9, at a scorchingly close 0.034 AU ( compared to Mercury's 0.39 AU from our Sun ), KELT-9b endures a relentless onslaught of radiation. KELT-9 itself is a behemoth, a B-type star 2-3 times larger and hotter than our Sun . The result? A dayside temperature exceeding a staggering 4,600 Kelvin (7,800 degrees Fahrenheit) – hot enough to vaporize most metals and rip apart even water molecules. Does KELT-9b even possess a traditional atmos...
“The universe is not only stranger than we imagine, it is stranger than we can't imagine”