[SunkenCiv]

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This artist's concept shows a Jupiter-like planet soaking up the scorching rays of its nearby "sun." Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

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[SunkenCiv]

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[SunkenCiv]

Spitzer observed Upsilon Andromedae b at five points during the planet's trip around its star. The planet's light levels went up or down, as detected by Spitzer, depending on whether the planet's sunlit or dark side was pointed toward Earth. These data indicate that the temperature difference between the two hemispheres of the planet is about 1,400 degrees Celsius (2,550 degrees Fahrenheit). [*]

The surface of our Sun is about 5800 degrees Kelvin (what we old-timers sometimes still refer to as degrees centrigrade, except as calculated from Absolute Zero, instead of the freezing point of water; Online Conversion shows me 5800 kelvin = 9980.33 degree Fahrenheit).

[SunkenCiv]

Bzzt!

[SunkenCiv]

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[mikrofon]

This is unlike Jupiter, which is even-temperatured all the way around.

Ironic, since he (Zeus) was such a hot-tempered sort...

[Rurudyne]

You know, given the temperatures indicated this "gas giant" might have a solid core (pure speculation). The reason could be simple, it'd need a strong gravity well deep down to prevent the upper atmosphere from expanding and boiling off as it passes through the day side. Also, I'd suspect that thermal expansion would give the planet an irregular shape anyway ... or at least stir up / even out the atmosphere as cooling gasses "fall" back to lower altitudes.