In a fascinating discovery, Korean astronomers identified a gaseous exoplanet called Halla, located at a distance of 520 light years from Earth.
This gas giant, named after the tallest mountain in South Korea, has defied all expectations by surviving the fury of its host star, Baekdu.
Baekdu is a giant star in the constellation Ursa Minor, also known as “Little Bear”. With a mass greater than that of our sun, Baekdu has undergone a violent transition that would normally have destroyed any nearby planets.. However, Halla has proven to be an exception to the rule.
This exoplanet, classified as a ‘hot Jupiter’ due to its size similar to that of Jupiter and its proximity to the host starorbits Baekdu at a distance of 0.46 astronomical units, about half the distance between Earth and the Sun. This closeness results in extremely high temperatures on the surface of Halla.
The discovery of Halla’s survival has baffled astronomers. According to a study recently published in the journal Nature, the star Baekdu is showing signs of depleting its hydrogen and is burning up its helium supply in the core. These observations suggest that the star once expanded and became a red giant.
This expansion would have generated a phase in which the star expands significantly, destroying any nearby planets in the process.
However, Halla has managed to circumvent this dangerous cosmic eventdefying astronomers’ expectations.
Halla’s discovery and her survival raise intriguing questions about the ability of planets to adapt and withstand extreme conditions in the universe. How did Halla manage to avoid destruction when other nearby planets weren’t as lucky?
Astronomers are now investigating possible explanations for this surprising survival.. One theory suggests that Halla’s elliptical orbit may have protected it by avoiding imminent destruction.
Furthermore, the unique atmospheric composition of this exoplanet could have played a crucial role in its ability to withstand stellar flare.
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