WASP-12b. The final part of the Series

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18 Jul 2023

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👋Hello, dear readers,
Welcome to the third and final part of the series on WASP-12b, the planet that defies expectations.

Photo - WASP-12b and WASP-12 | Wikimedia Commons

📢In this part, we will speculate about the future of WASP-12b and its star. What will happen to this doomed planet as it gets closer and closer to its star? Will it survive or be destroyed? Will it affect the star in any way? Will we be able to observe it before it disappears? These are some of the questions that we will try to answer in this part.

📌But before we do that, let’s recap what we have learned so far in the previous parts of the series. In the first part, titled "WASP-12b: The Doomed Planet That Glows Like a Blackbody",we introduced you to WASP-12b, a gas-giant planet that orbits very close to its host star, WASP-12.
In that part, we introduced you to WASP-12b, a gas giant planet that orbits very close to its host star, WASP-12. We explained How WASP-12b looks like, How WASP-12b was discovered, How WASP-12b is being destroyed, & How WASP-12b will end. We also described how this planet has a very high temperature and emits infrared light like a blackbody. If you haven’t read the first part yet, you can find it [1st Article-link here].

📌In the second part, titled "WASP-12b: The Planet That Defies Expectations", we explored some of the mysteries and surprises that this fascinating exoplanet has to offer. We discussed

How it is losing mass at a rapid rate
How did WASP-12b got so inflated?
How WASP-12b got so close to its star

We also discussed how WASP-12b has a very unusual atmosphere, with no water vapor or methane, but with carbon monoxide and atomic hydrogen. If you haven’t read the first part yet, you can find it [2nd Article-link here].

📢Now in this final part, we will discuss:

How WASP-12b has a very low albedo, meaning that it reflects very little light from its star.
How WASP-12b may have a large and powerful magnetic field, and how this could affect its interaction with its star.
How long will it take for WASP-12b to be destroyed? And how will it happen
what is the most likely scenario for WASP-12b’s fate
What will happen when WASP-12b crashes into WASP-12

😒We hope you enjoy reading this part as much as we enjoyed writing it.

Photo: Comparison of best-fit size of the exoplanet WASP-12 b with the Solar System planet Jupiter |By- Wikimedia Commons

How WASP-12b has a very low albedo

🪐WASP-12b has a very low albedo, which means that it reflects very little light from its star. Albedo is a measure of how much light an object reflects, on a scale from 0 to 1. A perfect black body would have an albedo of 0, meaning that it absorbs all the light that hits it. A perfect white body would have an albedo of 1, meaning that it reflects all the light that hits it. Most objects have albedos between 0 and 1, depending on their color and surface properties.

🍭According to a study by Bell et al. (2017), WASP-12b has an albedo of just 0.064 at most. This is very low compared to other planets, even other hot Jupiters. For example, Earth has an albedo of 0.37, the Moon has an albedo of 0.12, and Jupiter has an albedo of 0.52. WASP-12b is so dark that it is two times less reflective than the Moon.

🙄The reason for WASP-12b’s low albedo is not fully understood, but it may have something to do with its high temperature and unusual atmosphere. WASP-12b is so close to its star that it reaches temperatures of about 2,600 °C on its dayside. This is hot enough to break down molecular hydrogen into atomic hydrogen in the planet’s atmosphere. The atomic hydrogen may absorb more light than molecular hydrogen, making the planet appear darker. The planet’s atmosphere also lacks water vapor and methane, which are common molecules in other hot Jupiters and can reflect some light. Instead, the planet’s atmosphere contains carbon monoxide and atomic hydrogen, which may not reflect much light.

🪨WASP-12b is one of the few exoplanets that have had their albedos measured spectrally, meaning that the amount of light reflected at different wavelengths was recorded. This method can reveal more information about the planet’s atmosphere and surface than just a single number. For example, WASP-12b appears to be deep blue in visible light but glows red-hot in infrared light. This contrast shows how the planet absorbs most of the visible light from its star, but emits a lot of infrared light due to its high temperature.

📢WASP-12b is a very interesting and unique exoplanet that challenges our understanding of planetary physics and chemistry. Its low albedo makes it one of the darkest planets ever observed, and also one of the most mysterious.

⭐Now, let’s imagine what the future holds for WASP-12b and its star. As we have seen, WASP-12b is in a very precarious situation. It is so close to its star that it receives about 4,000 times more radiation than Earth does from the Sun. This radiation is breaking down its atmosphere and creates a tail of gas that escapes from the planet. Some of the gas may also fall onto the star, creating an accretion disk. According to some studies, WASP-12b may lose up to 3% of its mass every billion years. This means that the planet will eventually be destroyed by its star unless its orbit changes or stabilizes.

How WASP-12b may have a large and powerful magnetic field

🪐WASP-12b may have a large and powerful magnetic field, and this could affect its interaction with its star. A magnetic field is a region of space where a magnetic force can be felt. Magnetic fields are generated by electric currents, which are flows of charged particles. Planets can have magnetic fields if they have a rotating core of liquid metal that creates electric currents. The Earth has a magnetic field that protects it from harmful solar radiation and helps animals navigate.

🪐WASP-12b is a gas giant planet that has no solid surface, but it may have a core of liquid metal deep inside. If the core is rotating fast enough, it could generate a magnetic field around the planet. However, measuring the magnetic field of an exoplanet is very difficult, since it is very weak compared to the star’s magnetic field and the planet’s thermal emission. Therefore, we do not know for sure if WASP-12b has a magnetic field or how strong it is.

✳️However, some indirect evidence suggests that WASP-12b may have a large and powerful magnetic field. One piece of evidence is the planet’s low albedo, which we discussed in the previous section. A low albedo means that the planet absorbs most of the light from its star, but it also means that the planet emits a lot of infrared light due to its high temperature. This infrared light can be polarized, meaning that it has a preferred direction of vibration. The polarization of the infrared light depends on the angle between the star, the planet, and the observer. If the planet has a magnetic field, it can change the polarization of the infrared light by bending the electric currents in the planet’s atmosphere. By measuring the polarization of the infrared light from WASP-12b, we can infer some information about its magnetic field.

❇️Another piece of evidence is the planet’s mass loss rate, which we also discussed in the previous section. The planet is losing mass due to the star’s gravity and radiation, which create a tail of gas that escapes from the planet. However, if the planet has a magnetic field, it can slow down or stop some of the gas from escaping, by creating a magnetosphere around the planet. A magnetosphere is a region of space where the planet’s magnetic field dominates over the star’s magnetic field. The magnetosphere can act as a shield that deflects some of the star’s radiation and wind. By measuring how much gas is escaping from WASP-12b, we can estimate how strong its magnetosphere is.

✴️The possible existence of a large and powerful magnetic field on WASP-12b could have important implications for its interaction with its star. For example, if the planet’s magnetic field is aligned with the star’s magnetic field, it could create a stable configuration that reduces the tidal forces on the planet. This could prevent or delay the destruction of the planet by its star. On the other hand, if the planet’s magnetic field is misaligned with the star’s magnetic field, it could create an unstable configuration that increases the tidal forces on the planet. This could accelerate or enhance the destruction of the planet by its star.

✡️Another implication is that if the planet has a large and powerful magnetic field, it could generate electric currents between itself and its star, creating a circuit. This circuit could produce radio waves that can be detected by radio telescopes on Earth or in space. Radio waves are another form of electromagnetic radiation that have longer wavelengths than visible light or infrared light. By measuring the radio waves from WASP-12b and its star, we can learn more about their magnetic fields and their interaction.

How long will it take for WASP-12b to be destroyed❓

🙂There are different scenarios that could occur, depending on various factors such as the planet’s mass, density, composition, rotation, magnetic field, orbit, and eccentricity.

📌Here are some possible outcomes:

Scenario 1: Roche limit. The Roche limit is the distance from a celestial body within which a smaller body will be torn apart by tidal forces. For example, if Earth’s moon were closer than about 18,000 km from Earth, it would break up into pieces due to Earth’s gravity. Similarly, if WASP-12b were closer than about 1.8 million km from WASP-12, it would break up into pieces due to WASP-12’s gravity. This would create a ring of debris around the star, similar to Saturn’s rings. However, this scenario is unlikely to happen soon, since WASP-12b is currently about 3.4 million km away from WASP-12. It would take a long time for the planet’s orbit to decay enough to reach the Roche limit.

Scenario 2: Evaporation. Evaporation is the process by which a liquid or solid turns into a gas due to heat or pressure. For example, water evaporates from oceans and lakes due to solar radiation and wind. Similarly, WASP-12b’s atmosphere is evaporating due to stellar radiation and wind. As we have seen, WASP-12b is losing mass at a rapid rate due to evaporation. This means that the planet will eventually lose all of its atmosphere and become a bare core of rock or metal. However, this scenario is also unlikely to happen soon, since WASP-12b still has a lot of mass left. It would take billions of years for the planet to lose all of its atmosphere by evaporation.

Scenario 3: Collision. Collision is the process by which two bodies hit each other due to gravity or other forces. For example, Earth was hit by a large body about 4.5 billion years ago, which created the moon. Similarly, WASP-12b could be hit by another body in its system, such as an asteroid or another planet. This could cause a huge explosion that would destroy both bodies or create new ones. However, this scenario is also unlikely to happen soon, since there are no known bodies in WASP-12b’s system that could collide with it. It would take a very rare and random event for a collision to occur.

WASP-12b’s fate

🤔So, what is the most likely scenario for WASP-12b’s fate?
The answer is Scenario 4: Spiral. Spiral is the process by which a body moves closer and closer to another body due to gravitational attraction and friction. For example, Earth’s moon is slowly moving away from Earth due to tidal forces, but if it were moving towards Earth, it would spiral in and eventually crash into Earth. Similarly, WASP-12b is slowly moving towards WASP-12 due to tidal forces and drag. This means that the planet will eventually spiral in and crash into the star. This scenario is the most likely to happen soon since WASP-12b’s orbit is already very close and unstable. It could take only a few million years or less for the planet to spiral in and crash into the star.

What will happen when WASP-12b crashes into WASP-12❓

🎗️The answer is Chaos. Chaos is the state of disorder and unpredictability that results from a complex system. For example, the weather is chaotic because it depends on many factors that are hard to measure and control. Similarly, the collision of WASP-12b and WASP-12 will be chaotic because it will depend on many factors that are hard to measure and control.

📌Here are some possible consequences:

Shock wave. A shock wave is a wave of high pressure that travels faster than sound. For example, a shock wave is created by an explosion or a supersonic aircraft. Similarly, a shock wave will be created by the collision of WASP-12b and WASP-12. The shock wave will travel through the star and cause it to oscillate and vibrate. This will change the star’s brightness, temperature, and spectrum. The shock wave will also travel through the space around the star and cause it to glow with different colors.

Ejection. Ejection is the process by which a body throws out material from its surface or interior. For example, a volcano ejects lava and ash from its crater. Similarly, WASP-12 will eject material from its surface or interior due to the impact of WASP-12b. The ejected material will form a cloud of gas and dust around the star, similar to a comet’s tail. The ejected material will also interact with the star’s magnetic field and create electric currents and radio waves.

Merger. Merger is the process by which two bodies combine into one body due to gravity or other forces. For example, two galaxies can merge into one galaxy due to gravity. Similarly, WASP-12b and WASP-12 can merge into one body due to gravity and pressure. The merger will create a new star that will have different properties than the original ones. The new star will have more mass, more energy, more rotation, more magnetic field, and more variability than the original ones.

📌The collision of WASP-12b and WASP-12 will be a spectacular and cataclysmic event that will change both bodies forever. It will also be a rare and valuable opportunity for astronomers to observe and study how planets and stars interact in extreme environments.
But will we be able to observe this event before it happens? The answer is: Maybe. Maybe is the word that expresses uncertainty or possibility. For example, maybe it will rain tomorrow or maybe it won’t. Similarly, maybe we will be able to observe the collision of WASP-12b and WASP-12, or maybe we won’t.

🤔It depends on several factors such as:

Timing. Timing is the point or period at which something occurs or is done. For example, timing is important for catching a bus or making a joke. Similarly, timing is important for observing the collision of WASP-12b and WASP-12. We need to know when exactly the collision will happen, which is hard to predict due to the chaotic nature of the system. We also need to know if we will have enough time to prepare our instruments and plan our observations before the collision happens.

Location. Location is the place where something or someone is situated or found. For example, location is important for finding your way or meeting someone. Similarly, location is important for observing the collision of WASP-12b and WASP-12. We need to know where exactly the collision will happen, which is hard to determine due to the complex geometry of the system. We also need to know if we will have a clear view of the collision from our position on Earth or in space.

Technology. Technology is the application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes, especially in industry or communication. For example, technology is important for making phones or sending emails. Similarly, technology is important for observing the collision of WASP-12b and WASP-12. We need to have the right technology to detect and analyze the signals from the collision, such as light, radio waves, or gravitational waves. We also need to have the technology to share and store the data from the collision, such as computers or networks.

🪢These factors will determine if we will be able to observe the collision of WASP-12b and WASP-12 before it happens. However, even if we miss the actual event, we may still be able to observe the aftermath of the collision, such as the new star or the debris cloud. We may also be able to compare our observations with simulations and models of the collision and test our theories and predictions.

💥The collision of WASP-12b and WASP-12 will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for astronomers and enthusiasts alike. It will also be a reminder of how dynamic and diverse our universe is, and how much we still have to learn and discover.

The End

📢This is the end of the story, dear reader 🥲.
There is nothing more to tell about WASP-12b and its star from my side. We have reached the conclusion of our series, and we hope you have enjoyed it as much as I have.

🙂However, this is not the end of your journey. There are many more stories to explore in the cosmos and many more questions to ask and answer. You can continue to learn and discover new things about exoplanets and astronomy and share your passion and curiosity with others.

🚇If you want to keep in touch with us, you can follow us on bulb[Link] or subscribe to me. I will keep you updated on the latest news and developments in the field, and also provide you with more articles and resources to enrich your knowledge and imagination.

🙏Thank you for reading the third and final part of the series on WASP-12b, the planet that defies expectations. I hope you enjoyed learning about this amazing planet and its star, and what its future holds. I also hope you are inspired by their story, and curious about other stories that await us in the cosmos.

😒Question for the Reader
What do you find most fascinating about the unique characteristics of WASP-12b, and how do you think studying exoplanets contributes to our understanding of the universe?

`If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to share them with me. I would love to hear from you. And if you want to learn more exoplanets and astronomy, please check out our other articles and resources.`

***`Thank you for your interest in this amazing planet!``🌍`
`We wish you all the best, and I hope to see you again soon.`*`🌠`**

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📚 Sources:

WASP-12b: Hubble Spots Almost Completely Black Exoplanet. | Link
WASP-12b | Wikipedia.
Astronomers Discover Pitch-Black Exoplanet | Scientific American.
Tidally distorted barytropes and their Roche limits, with application to WASP-12b | Link
Re-Evaluating WASP-12b: Strong Emission at 2.315 micron, Deeper Occultations, and an Isothermal Atmosphere | Link
Planet WASP-12b is on a death spiral, say scientists | Link
Planet WASP-12b is on a death spiral, say scientists | sciencedaily
Planet WASP-12b is on a death spiral, say scientists | Princeton University.

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