Astronomers have confirmed the existence of a tidally-locked super-Earth a few light-years away from our planet. The exoplanet LHS 3844b, affectionately dubbed Kua'kua, has captured the attention of astronomers as it showcases the striking consequences of being tidally locked to its host star.
Worlds beyond our solar system – exoplanets – are common, but faªªªʳʳʳʳ.
LHS 3844b is 48.6 light-years away. This small, rocky world is 1.3 times the size of Earth and likely has little to no atmosphere. Its surface could be like the Moon or Mercury! https://t.co/7bUrbC0lEa pic.twitter.com/lpu03tVspd — NASA Exoplanets (@NASAExoplanets) November 29, 2021
Tidal locking occurs when the gravitational forces between a planet and its host star result in the planet's rotational period matching its orbital period. In simpler terms, this means that one side of the planet permanently faces the star, while the other side is perpetually shrouded in darkness. It's akin to a dance where one partner always faces the other, never turning away. The best example is the Moon being tidally locked to Earth. Yes, we only see one side of the Moon, always.
For Kua'kua, this cosmic ballet plays out in extreme conditions. With its close proximity to its star Batsũ̀, the exoplanet experiences scorching temperatures on its sunlit side, rendering it uninhabitable for life as we know it. On the flip side, the perpetually dark hemisphere offers no respite from the frigid chill of space. As for its size, this planet is about 1.3 times the radius and 2.25 times the mass of Earth.
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Led by astronomer Xintong Lyu of Peking University in China, the research team confirmed the discovery by developing a global thermal model of an exoplanet without an atmosphere and comparing it to observations by NASA's now-retired Spitzer telescope. Their findings were published in The Astrophysical Journal.
The team said that this exoplanet may or may not have an atmosphere and that further observations are needed for a better understanding about the alien world.
The recent confirmation of Kua'kua's tidal locking provides compelling evidence that such phenomena are not confined to our own solar system. In fact, they may be quite common throughout the Milky Way, hinting at a vast diversity of planetary configurations beyond our cosmic doorstep.
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