Planet Unwinds in 'Death March'

[mickw]

he gravity of an alien star is causing its planet to unwind, research now reveals.

The world in question is WASP-12b, the only known planet circling the yellow sun-like star WASP-12 some 867 light-years from Earth. This gas giant is so close to its host star that it takes just 26 hours to orbit it and complete a year.

Unsurprisingly, given its closeness to its star, WASP-12b is scorching hot. At some 4,000 degrees F (2,200 degrees C), it's nearly half as hot as the surface of our sun.

Strangely, WASP-12b, which is roughly 1.4 times Jupiter's mass, is unexpectedly large compared with most gas giants of similar mass and distance from their stars. Its diameter is some 3.6 times Jupiter's.

More:    Planet

[PhilB]

Wow, a planet where it don't rain!  Has some good point then