Hubble Sees Evaporating Planet Getting "The Hiccups" | NASA Goddard

Hubble Sees Evaporating Planet Getting "The Hiccups" | NASA Goddard

A young planet whirling around a petulant red dwarf star about 32 light years away in the constellation Microscopium is changing in unpredictable ways orbit-by-orbit. It is so close to its parent star that it experiences a consistent, torrential blast of energy, which evaporates its hydrogen atmosphere—causing it to puff off the planet.

However, during one orbit observed with the Hubble Space Telescope, the planet looked like it was not losing any material at all, while an orbit observed with Hubble a year and a half later showed clear signs of atmospheric loss.

Video Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center 

Paul Morris: Lead Producer 

Cassandra Morris: Narrator

Animation Credit:

Light interacting with atmosphere: ESA/Hubble, M. Kornmesser

Escaping atmosphere of an exoplanet: ESA/Hubble, NASA, M. Kornmesser

Planet orbiting a red dwarf star (artist's impression): ESA/Hubble (M. Kornmesser)

Red Dwarf Flare Star (Artist's Illustration): NASA, ESA, and D. Player (STScI)

Duration: 2 minutes

Release Date: July 27, 2023

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