Sharjah Astronomical Observatory finding out exoplanet just like Jupiter

Sharjah: The Sharjah Astronomical Observatory (SAO) at Sharjah Academy for Astronomy, Area Sciences and Know-how (SAASST) within the College of Sharjah has monitored and analysed the exoplanet HAT-P-9b this month as a part of its periodic observations of assorted exoplanets.

Planetary objects orbiting different stars past our photo voltaic system are referred to as ‘exoplanets’ and so they are available a wide range of sizes — from gasoline giants which might be bigger than Jupiter to smaller and rocky planets just like the Earth or Mars. The primary exoplanets had been found within the 1990s and since then 1000’s have been recognized utilizing varied detection strategies.

The Sharjah Astronomical Observatory began monitoring exoplanets since 2018. The outcomes of its observations are revealed periodically on astronomical analysis web sites. His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council, Ruler of Sharjah and President of the College of Sharjah, based SAASST as a scientific establishment to extend public consciousness and information on astronomy, house sciences and know-how.

Exoplanet HAT-P-9b is positioned within the constrictor constellation of stars at a distance of 1,500 light-years (a light-year is equal to round 9.46 trillion kilometres) from the Solar. This planet was found in 2008 by way of the strategy of transit photometry utilizing the Extensive Angle Seek for Planets (WASP) programme. Researcher Mohammed Fadil Talafha, an astronomer who specialises in observing the exoplanets, mentioned HAT-P-9b is just like Jupiter. “It has a mass of 78 per cent of the mass of Jupiter, however it’s alternatively bigger, equal to 140 per cent of the scale of Jupiter, and because of this it’s much less dense,” Talafha famous.

He elaborated: “Attributable to its measurement being near the scale of Jupiter, it’s included within the collection of exoplanets referred to as Scorching Jupiters. Regardless of its giant measurement, HAT-P-9b may be very near its solar — the space between it and its star doesn’t exceed eight million kilometres. If we examine it to Earth, whose distance from the Solar reaches 150 million kilometres, then it’s thought of very near the host star. The temperature of such a exoplanet reaches 1,000 Kelvin, therefore the title Scorching Jupiters.”

Prof Mashhoor Al Wardat, vice-general director of SAASST for Educational Affairs and Sharjah Astronomical Observatory, mentioned: “The SAO performs an necessary position in disseminating scientific data and supporting varied analysis initiatives equivalent to observing galaxies and binary stars, finding out variable stars, and figuring out the age of star teams. College students and lovers of house and astronomy additionally frequent the Observatory to study extra about these fields,” he added.

Talafha defined the commentary of planets is completed when they’re in transit. “That’s the time when the obvious magnitude of the star decreases barely because of the occultation of the planet in a course of identified to astronomers as transit photometry.”

Planetary objects orbiting different stars are referred to as exoplanets. They arrive in varied sizes, starting from gasoline giants bigger than Jupiter, to small and rocky planets concerning the measurement of Earth or Mars. They are often scorching sufficient to soften metals or be locked in deep freezers. They will orbit their stars so tightly {that a} “12 months” lasts just a few days and so they may orbit two suns without delay. Some exoplanets are referred to as rogue planets or sunless rogues as a result of they’re untethered to any star and so they wander by way of the galaxy in everlasting darkness.