--- title: "Super-Earth that is so hot it can melt gold may have lost its atmosphere." description: "The term \"super-Earth\" refers to a rocky planet the size of Earth that is hot enough to melt gold and may not have an atmosphere." author: "Muskan Singh" published: 2022-10-25 updated: 2022-10-25 canonical: https://www.mindstick.com/news/2204/super-earth-that-is-so-hot-it-can-melt-gold-may-have-lost-its-atmosphere category: "space and research" tags: ["technology", "technology news", "space science", "science and technology", "research"] reading_time: 3 minutes --- # Super-Earth that is so hot it can melt gold may have lost its atmosphere. Humans have been fascinated by the universe for millennia because it is such a large, fascinating, and intimidating place. The question of whether humans are the sole sentient beings in the universe has persisted in human thought. **Since the beginning of the hunt for extraterrestrial [life](https://www.mindstick.com/news/2199/in-the-midst-of-human-spaceflight-research-a-russian-cargo-mission-is-about-to-launch) less than a century ago, we have already discovered numerous planets in the galaxy that resemble Earth in some ways. A 'super-Earth' with a [surface temperature](https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/112780/which-planet-has-the-highest-average-surface-temperature) high enough to melt gold is one of these; its name is GJ 1252 b.** The Earth-sized rocky exoplanet GJ 1252 b is so hot that it may not even have an [atmosphere](https://www.mindstick.com/news/2058/robin-wordsworth-re-creates-the-atmosphere-of-ancient-mars), according to recent research by astronomers. As the super-Earth entered a [secondary](https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/40407/who-has-been-appointed-as-the-chairperson-of-central-board-of-secondary-education-cbse-replacing-rajesh-kumar-chaturvedi) eclipse, an astronomical team utilised the now-retired Spitzer [Space Telescope](https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/99848/what-are-the-advancements-in-space-telescope-technology-and-upcoming-observatory-missions) to monitor its infrared radiation. When a planet moves behind its star, it causes a secondary eclipse. The scientists found that GJ 1252 b's dayside temperatures were a scorching 1,228 degrees Celsius, according to NASA. The planet's surface is hot enough for metals like gold, silver, and copper to melt. The research team thinks that such a high temperature is expected of a barren and stony exoplanet. Estimated temperatures of the planet and [atmospheric](https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/101315/what-is-the-role-of-the-national-oceanic-and-atmospheric-administration-noaa) modelling indicate that its surface pressure is most likely less than 10 bar. **The team of scientists concluded that GJ 1252 b most likely lacks any atmosphere due to its extremely high temperatures and low surface pressure.** As a result of the discoveries, this is the tiniest exoplanet for which scientists have such an accurate representation of its atmosphere. 2020 saw the [discovery](https://www.mindstick.com/interview/34385/understanding-the-discovery-phase-in-software-development-part-1) of the rocky, terrestrial exoplanet GJ 1252 b. It is larger than Earth, with a radius that is 1.18 times that of the [blue planet](https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/33858/is-earth-a-blue-planet-or-a-green-planet). **Additionally, the scorching exoplanet is 65 light-years from Earth. Its star and our planet are much more closely spaced within its [solar system](https://www.mindstick.com/news/1792/the-images-of-the-largest-canyons-in-the-solar-system-were-available-through-esa-s-mars-express) than they are. GJ 1252 b has a fixed face toward its star, known as its 'dayside.'** The temperature increase on the exoplanet is caused by this situation. Scientists can determine which of these terrestrial exoplanets might be capable of supporting life by comparing these super-Earths to our world. In a statement, **Laura Kreidberg, an exoplanet researcher at the [Max Planck Institute for Astronomy](https://www.mindstick.com/news/2202/nasa-s-artemis-moon-mission-is-getting-future-gear-from-spacex-boeing-and-lockheed-martin) in Germany and a co-author of a new article revealing the discovery,** said: 'We're just beginning to learn how often, and under what circumstances, rocky planets may preserve their atmospheres' . --- Original Source: https://www.mindstick.com/news/2204/super-earth-that-is-so-hot-it-can-melt-gold-may-have-lost-its-atmosphere Copyright © MindStick Software Pvt. Ltd. This Markdown version is provided for developers, AI systems, and offline reading.