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HAT-P-7b

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description HAT-P-7b Overview

HAT-P-7b is a hot Jupiter exoplanet located in the Cygnus constellation, notable for its retrograde orbit around its host star. It was initially discovered by the Hungarian-made Automated Telescope Network project before being observed by NASA's Kepler space telescope. Kepler detected the planet's reflected starlight and orbital phase curve, allowing scientists to measure its atmospheric properties. These observations provided early constraints on weather systems and temperature variations.

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What did NASA's Kepler telescope reveal about HAT-P-7b's atmosphere?

Kepler detected the planet's full orbital phase curve—capturing the transit, the secondary eclipse when the planet passes behind the star, and continuous variations in reflected and emitted light throughout the orbit. This data allowed scientists to map the planet's brightness distribution and infer the presence of strong equatorial winds in its atmosphere.

Is HAT-P-7b tidally locked to its host star?

As a hot Jupiter orbiting extremely close to its star, HAT-P-7b is expected to be tidally locked, with one hemisphere permanently facing the star. Kepler's phase curve data showed that the hottest point on the planet is shifted eastward from the substellar point, which indicates powerful atmospheric winds redistributing heat across the dayside.

How hot is the atmosphere of HAT-P-7b?

HAT-P-7b's dayside temperature is estimated at roughly 2,200 to 2,600 Kelvin, making it one of the hotter known hot Jupiters. At such extreme temperatures, theoretical models suggest that mineral clouds composed of corundum—the same mineral that forms rubies and sapphires—may condense in the upper atmosphere.

How was HAT-P-7b discovered before Kepler observed it?

HAT-P-7b was originally detected by the HATNet (Hungarian-made Automated Telescope Network) project, a ground-based transit survey. It was later targeted by Kepler, launched in 2009, as one of the first exoplanets whose reflected-light phase curve was measured from space.

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