Hot Jupiter Exoplanet Can Influence The Rotation Of Its Sun

Astronomers have recently discovered a hot Jupiter like exoplanet, called HATS-18b, whose massive size and powerful gravity can influence the rotation of its parent star. For example, imagine if the gravity of the Earth were to influence the rotation of the Sun.

HATS-18b is reportedly located 2,100 light years away from our planet and has a radius 1.34 times bigger than that of Jupiter, making its mass nearly twice the size of the biggest known planet in our Solar System. However, the exoplanet orbits its star in just 0.84 days.  

"The high planet mass, combined with its short orbital period, implies strong tidal coupling between the planetary orbit and the star," said the researchers from the Princeton University. "The HATS-18 system is among the best systems for testing a multitude of star-planet interactions, be they gravitational, magnetic or radiative, as well as planet formation and migration theories."

Incidentally, hot Jupiter planets are extrasolar planets that have a mass similar to our own Jupiter. Recently, another research indicated that some of the hot Jupiter exoplanets can contain water, however in the form of atmospheric water vapor. The gaseous presence of water son hot Jupiter planets is due to their high temperatures that can go up to 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit because they orbit their star from a comparative close distance. Moreover, the clouds and haze that cover the planets could be hiding the water vapor from view. A further study of the large quantities of molecules on the planets, present due to its water, could enable scientists to know more about the origin and details of hot Jupiter exoplanets.

Meanwhile, the newly discovered hot Jupiter exoplanet, that can spin its own star, could act like a good mine of information for scientists researching planet formations and analyzing planet-star interactions, according to a report. Astronomers located HATS-18b by carrying out an in depth study of over 10,000 images of its parent star, the HATS-18, which were taken by the Automated Telescope Network-South (HATSouth). In addition, other observatories and telescopes in Australia and Chile were used for follow up on the spectroscopic observations.