In a recent presentation at the 2023 American Geophysical Union meeting, researchers unveiled findings from their exploration of “hot Jupiters” using NASA’s CubeSat mission, the Colorado Ultraviolet Transit Experiment (CUTE). What distinguishes CUTE from other instruments is its diminutive size, measuring a mere 36 centimeters in length, akin to a cereal box. This is a stark contrast to larger exoplanet-hunting telescopes that often resemble small school buses.
Launched in September 2021, CUTE harnessed its ultraviolet capabilities to scrutinize hot Jupiters, planets located in close proximity to their parent stars, with a specific focus on understanding atmospheric escape phenomena.
The research team, comprised of both undergraduate and graduate students, had previously provided a comprehensive overview of CUTE in The Astronomical Journal in January 2023. Subsequently, in August 2023, they shared specific results from CUTE’s observations of WASP-189b, an extrasolar planet, in The Astrophysical Journal Letters.
WASP-189b, with an orbital period of 2.7 days, exhibited a remarkable atmospheric escape rate of 400 million kilograms per second due to its scorching surface temperatures reaching approximately 8,315 degrees Celsius.
Despite its small size, CUTE, orbiting 525 kilometers above Earth’s surface, demonstrated remarkable observational capabilities, reaching beyond our solar system, as evidenced by its study of WASP-189b located approximately 325 light-years away. This underscores CUTE’s potential to provide profound insights into the formation and evolution of planets beyond our solar system.
While WASP-189b exemplifies CUTE’s capabilities, the research team expanded their observations to a total of seven hot Jupiters. Notable among these are MASCARA-4b, situated around 557 light-years from Earth, and KELT-9b, approximately 667 light-years away. The team’s findings unveiled varying degrees of atmospheric escape, from minimal gas escaping in the case of MASCARA-4b to a moderate level in KELT-9b.
Dr. Kevin France, the CUTE Principal Investigator and associate professor in the Department of Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences at CU Boulder, emphasized the mission’s goal to understand the diversity of solar systems in the universe, encompassing big planets, small planets, those with potential for life, and those without, along with the crucial physical processes at play on these celestial bodies.
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