A super-Jupiter is a gas giant exoplanet that is more massive than the planet Jupiter. For example, companions at the planet– brown dwarf borderline have been called super-Jupiters, such as around the star Kappa Andromedae. [1]
By 2011 there were 180 known super-Jupiters, some hot, some cold. [2] Even though they are more massive than Jupiter, they remain about the same size as Jupiter up to 80 Jupiter masses. [2] This means that their surface gravity and density go up proportionally to their mass. [2] The increased mass compresses the planet due to gravity, thus keeping it from being larger. [2] In comparison, planets somewhat lighter than Jupiter can be larger, so-called " puffy planets" (gas giants with a large diameter but low density). [3] An example of this may be the exoplanet HAT-P-1b with about half the mass of Jupiter but about 1.38 times larger diameter. [3]
CoRoT-3b, with a mass around 22 Jupiter masses, [4] is predicted to have an average density of 26.4 g/cm3, greater than osmium (22.6 g/cm3), the densest natural element under standard conditions. Extreme compression of matter inside it causes the high density, because it is likely composed mainly of hydrogen. [5] The surface gravity is also high, over 50 times that of Earth. [4]
In 2012, the super-Jupiter Kappa Andromedae b was imaged around the star Kappa Andromedae, [1] orbiting it about 1.8 times the distance at which Neptune orbits the Sun. [6]
A super-Jupiter is a gas giant exoplanet that is more massive than the planet Jupiter. For example, companions at the planet– brown dwarf borderline have been called super-Jupiters, such as around the star Kappa Andromedae. [1]
By 2011 there were 180 known super-Jupiters, some hot, some cold. [2] Even though they are more massive than Jupiter, they remain about the same size as Jupiter up to 80 Jupiter masses. [2] This means that their surface gravity and density go up proportionally to their mass. [2] The increased mass compresses the planet due to gravity, thus keeping it from being larger. [2] In comparison, planets somewhat lighter than Jupiter can be larger, so-called " puffy planets" (gas giants with a large diameter but low density). [3] An example of this may be the exoplanet HAT-P-1b with about half the mass of Jupiter but about 1.38 times larger diameter. [3]
CoRoT-3b, with a mass around 22 Jupiter masses, [4] is predicted to have an average density of 26.4 g/cm3, greater than osmium (22.6 g/cm3), the densest natural element under standard conditions. Extreme compression of matter inside it causes the high density, because it is likely composed mainly of hydrogen. [5] The surface gravity is also high, over 50 times that of Earth. [4]
In 2012, the super-Jupiter Kappa Andromedae b was imaged around the star Kappa Andromedae, [1] orbiting it about 1.8 times the distance at which Neptune orbits the Sun. [6]