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> Exoplanet WASP-12b

Exoplanet WASP-12b

author: Ron Miller/Novapix

reference: a-exo99-32452

Image Size 300 DPI: 29 * 21 cm

WASP-12b is an extrasolar planet orbiting the star WASP-12, discovered by the SuperWASP planetary transit survey. Due to its extremely close orbit to its star, the star's tidal forces are distorting it into an egg shape and pulling away its atmosphere. The planet takes only a little over a day to orbit the star.

Keywords for this photo:

2008 - ASTRONOMY - ATMOSPHERE - AURIGA - EXOPLANET - EXTRASOLAR PLANET - HOT JUPITER - ILLUSTRATION - PLANET - STAR - WASP-12b -