The Hottest Known Planet In Space

KELT-9b is an ultra-hot gas giant where temperatures soar to 7,800 degrees Fahrenheit. It is so sweltering that its own atmosphere is literally evaporating into space as it orbits its star.

This planet is hotter than many stars found in our galaxy, reaching temperatures that would melt almost any metal. Because it is so close to its massive, scorching star, the gas in its atmosphere is being torn apart by extreme radiation. It orbits so tightly that a full year on this planet lasts less than two Earth days. Astronomers consider it a prime laboratory for studying how intense stellar heat completely transforms a world.