NASA’s TESS Delivers New Insights Into an Ultrahot World

Kelt 9B is an extremely hot planet, receiving 44,000 times more energy than Earth from its star. Its atmosphere boils away due to high temperatures. NASA's TESS satellite has observed Kelt 9B, revealing its unusual orbit and gravity darkening effects. The planet's orbit over the star's poles creates unique seasons, with rapid temperature changes causing wild winds. Scientists are using these observations to model Kelt 9B's atmosphere and gain insights into similar systems.

What makes Kelt 9B one of the hottest known planets?

• It is located very close to the Sun.

• It receives 44,000 times more energy than Earth does from the Sun.

• It has a very slow orbit around its star.

• It has a very thick atmosphere.

What is the effect of the rapid rotation of Kelt 9B's star?

• It makes the star's poles cooler than its equator.

• It causes the star to have a longer lifespan.

• It causes the star to emit less light.

• It results in gravity darkening, making the poles hotter than the equator.

How does Kelt 9B's orbit affect its transit observations?

• The orbit is too close to the star.

• The orbit over the star's poles complicates the start and end of transits.

• The orbit is too far from the star.

• The orbit is too fast to observe.

What causes the unusual seasons on Kelt 9B?

• The planet's slow rotation.

• The planet's distance from its star.

• The planet's thick atmosphere.

• The polar orbit and gravity darkening.

What are scientists using to study Kelt 9B's atmosphere?

• The James Webb Space Telescope.

• NASA's TESS satellite.

• The Chandra X-ray Observatory.

• The Hubble Space Telescope.