The 14 Weirdest Planets In The Universe, Ranked By Astronomy Buffs

Actual Name: HR 5183b

20192019

The planet orbits its sun slowly. NASA scientists say HR 5183b takes 74 years to finish one orbit.Other planets orbit their stars in less than a day. HR 5183b takes its time. NASA scientists say HR 5183b leisurely orbits its sun and takes 74 years to complete one cycle.

HR 5183 b orbits strangely. It drifts to the system's edge, then slingshots itself, nearly hitting its host star before peeling away. This erratic action earned it the name.whiplash planet.

Actual Name: K2-18 b

20152015

Water exists on K2-18 b, but it kills life. K2-18 b has super-compressed, super-heated seas between liquid and gas. Temperatures and pressures are too high for life. A steamy water vapor atmosphere covers the planet.For years, scientists hoped K2-18 b could host life after water found on its surface in 2019. However, the water on this Earth kills any life form trying to dive in. K2-18 b has super-compressed, super-heated seas between liquid and gas. Temperatures and pressures are too high for life. A steamy water vapor atmosphere covers the planet.

Actual Name: TrES-2b

20062006

TrES-2b is a place you do not want to find yourself if you fear the dark. NASA researchers call TrES-2b the planet of eternal night. Most consider it the darkest planet orbiting a star. The planet reflects less than 1% of light that hits it, making it less reflective than coal. Anyone flying in its atmosphere would fly blind.If you fear the dark, TrES-2b is a planet you will not want to find. TrES-2b is known by NASA researchers as the planet of eternal night. It is considered the darkest planet orbiting a star. The planet reflects less than 1% of light that hits it, making it less reflective than coal. Flying in its atmosphere means flying blind.

Actual Name: TOI-849b

20202020

The TOI-849b researchers at the University of Southern Queensland's Center for Astrophysics found it in 2020. This exoplanet is nearly twice the size of Jupiter and extremely hot. Its dayside temperatures often pass 4,892 degrees Fahrenheit. Nighttime temperatures are nearly as hot, around 4,172 degrees Fahrenheit. These heat levels surpass molten lava, which sits between 1,292 and 2,282 degrees Fahrenheit.Researchers at the University of Southern Queensland's Center for Astrophysics discovered TOI-849b in 2020. This exoplanet is nearly twice the size of Jupiter and extremely hot. Its dayside temperatures often pass 4,892 degrees Fahrenheit. Nighttime temperatures are nearly as hot, around 4,172 degrees Fahrenheit. These heat levels surpass molten lava, which sits between 1,292 and 2,282 degrees Fahrenheit.University of Southern Queensland's Center for Astrophysics discovered TOI-849b in 2020. This exoplanet is nearly twice the size of Jupiter and extremely hot. Its dayside temperatures often pass 4,892 degrees Fahrenheit. Nighttime temperatures are nearly as hot, around 4,172 degrees Fahrenheit. These heat levels surpass molten lava, which sits between 1,292 and 2,282 degrees Fahrenheit.TOI-849b was discovered in 2020 by researchers at the University of Southern Queensland's Center for Astrophysics. This exoplanet is nearly twice the size of Jupiter and extremely hot. Its dayside temperatures often pass 4,892 degrees Fahrenheit. Nighttime temperatures are nearly as hot, around 4,172 degrees Fahrenheit. These heat levels surpass molten lava, which sits between 1,292 and 2,282 degrees Fahrenheit.

The temperatures on TOI-849b can be compared to rocket engine exhaust. Because temperatures reach these levels, no life can survive in TOI-1431 b's atmosphere.

Actual Name: WASP-107b

20172017

D.R. Anderson and colleagues found the WASP-107 b planet as part of a study.D.R. Anderson and colleagues found the WASP-107 b planet.part of a studyThis planet breaks science. It's a gas giant with a solid core weighing about four Earths. Eighty-five percent of that mass stays in the planet's gas atmosphere. This is odd because scientists thought a gas giant needed a solid core of at least ten Earth masses to grab gas.

This odd structure changed how scientists view gas giant planets. The weird part of WASP-107b is its extremely squishy, low-density atmosphere. Scientists compare this atmosphere to a marshmallow.This is why they call itthe cotton candy “super puff” planet. Its density is so thick that walking through it feels like wading through a sticky marshmallow.

Actual Name: HD 189733b

Year Discovered:2005

Why It's Weird:Exoplanet HD 18733B, called the “slasher planet” by NASA, shows what death by a million cuts feels like. This gas giant looks tempting and might look habitable with its cobalt blue color and marbled appearance. However, the weather is deadly. For instance, glass rains in winds hitting 5,400 miles per hour.

If fast glass winds do not stop exploration, the planet's daytime temperatures near 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit will stop surface investigation. Studies also show the planet’s atmosphere is exotic and changes often.

Actual Name: Kepler-16b

Year Discovered: 2017

Why It's Weird: Science fiction and reality meet with Kepler-16B. This planet was discovered by astronomers.in France. This planet sits 2,000 light-years away. It is the first planet to orbit two suns, though those suns are cooler. It orbits two suns. This planet is about 2,000 lightyears away and is the first circumbinary planet, orbiting two suns.With the chance to see two suns during the day from the surface, Kepler 16b brings to mind Tatooine, the planet where Luke Skywalker lives in the Star Wars universe.Kepler 16b evokes images of Tatooine, the science fiction planet that is home to Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars universe.Star Wars Researchers think the planet could support life. However, no life is expected because average temperatures hover around minus 150 degrees Fahrenheit.

Researchers think the planet could support life. However, no life is expected because average temperatures hit minus 150 degrees Fahrenheit.

WASP-12 bWASP-12 b

20082008

Dying planet WASP-12 b sits 1,393 light-years from Earth. Its star is consuming the planet, and it will vanish in about 10 million years. The star pulls pieces of the planet with it every orbit, which takes about 1.1 days to complete.1,393 light years from Earth, the dying planet WASP-12 b is being eaten by its star. It will vanish in about 10 million years. The star pulls pieces of the planet with it during every orbit, which takes about 1.1 days.

Actual Name: HAT-P-7b

Year Discovered:2008

Why It's Weird: The planet is tilted 108 degrees relative to its host star. HAT-P-7b is a gas giant. It is 1.51 times the size of Jupiter. It is an “ultra-hot Jupiter” because its temperatures hit over 4,000 degrees Fahrenheit. It also swallows 97% of all light shining on it.

This planet has one of the shortest years. It orbits its sun about 20 times closer than Earth. A year takes less than three days.

Actual Name: KELT-9b

Discovered: 2017

Why It's Weird:KELT-9b is hotter than most stars. It has a daylight temperature of 7,800 degrees Fahrenheit. The planet's sun makes hydrogen gas molecules break apart. They cannot reform. Heat unravels KELT-9b through evaporation. This happens even though the sun's strong radiation puffs the planet up like a balloon. The planet weighs 2.8 times Jupiter's mass.

The planet has two summers and two winters. Each season lasts nine hours.

Actual Name: TOI-849 b

Discovered:2020

Why It's Weird:TOI-849 b is a battered and blasted planet. It weighs 40 times Earth's mass and is about three times its size. For such a gas giant, it is surprising that scientists think it is the largest rocky world.

Time moves differently on this planet. One year on TOI-849 b takes about 18 hours. This is unlike Earth.

Scientists think this is the first Chthonian planet. Its star blasted away its atmosphere in a process called photoevaporation. The planet remains incredibly hot, reaching nearly 2,800 degrees Fahrenheit daily.

Actual Name: GJ 1214b

Discovered: 2009

Why It's Weird:GJ 1214b is a Neptune-like planet. It weighs about 8.41 Earths. It takes 1.6 days to orbit its star. Discovery showed it cannot support life. It creates hot ice and superfluid water. These materials form due to the planet's extreme heat and pressure. Water makes up most of its mass, and a thick, steamy atmosphere surrounds the planet.

Actual Name: 55 Cancri e

Discovered: 2004

Why It's Weird:When 55 Cancri e was first found, people thought it was made of diamonds. This happened because the planet has lots of carbon. It also has huge pressure and reached 4,892 degrees Fahrenheit. Recent work suggests the diamond core idea is weakened. Less carbon is thought to exist than first believed, but it is not impossible.

The sky on 55 Cancri e sparkles. This comes from silicates in the atmosphere reflecting lava flowing on the surface.

Actual Name: WASP-103b

Discovered: 2014

Why It's Weird: The universe often forms spherical planets, but WASP-103b shows this is not always true. This planet has a football shape, and its sun causes this odd feature. According to the European Space Agency,The European Space Agency (ESA) states this exoplanet became oval because it orbits too close to its sun. This creates a gravitational and tidal force strong enough to move solid ground.The ESA found this exoplanet. Its orbit too close to its sun deforms it into an oval. This creates a gravitational pull and tidal force strong enough to move solid ground. This discovery confirmed theories: a large sun's gravitational impact can deform an exoplanet if it gets close enough to the surface.