WASP-12b is a hot Jupiter orbiting the star WASP-12, discovered in April of 2008, by the SuperWASP planetary transit survey. The planet takes only a little over one Earth day to orbit its star, in contrast to about 365.25 days for the Earth to orbit the Sun. Its distance from the star is only the Earth's distance from the Sun, with an eccentricity the same as Jupiter's. Consequently, it has one of the lowest densities for exoplanets. On December 3, 2013, scientists working with the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) reported detecting water in the atmosphere of the exoplanet. In July 2014, NASA announced finding very dry atmospheres on three exoplanets orbiting sun-like stars.
Artist's depiction of WASP-12b's atmosphere being tidally stripped by its parent star
WASP-12b and its host star, WASP-12 (artist conception).
Hot, carbon-rich planet WASP-12b and its host star. (Exoplanet color was unknown at the time of this artist conception).
WASP-12b and its host star, WASP-12 − with IR spectra noting the presence of various chemical molecules.
Hot Jupiters are a class of gas giant exoplanets that are inferred to be physically similar to Jupiter but that have very short orbital periods. The close proximity to their stars and high surface-atmosphere temperatures resulted in their informal name "hot Jupiters".
An artist's impression of a hot Jupiter orbiting close to its star.
Hot Jupiter with hidden water
Comparison of "hot Jupiter" exoplanets (artist concept). From top left to lower right: WASP-12b, Boinayel, WASP-31b, Bocaprins, HD 189733b, Puli, Ditsö̀, Banksia, HAT-P-1b and HD 209458b.
