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Webb telescope helps solve longstanding mystery of why some planets appear so “puffy”
Astronomers believe they’ve solved a peculiar and well-established cosmic mystery, NASA announced this week. Mainly using observations from the James Webb Space Telescope, two groups of researchers may have discovered what causes certain planets to appear “puffy” or inflated far beyond the sizes their remarkably low densities would suggest.
It’s a phenomenon that seems to boil down to the surprising internal composition of exoplanets like WASP-107b, a “warm Neptune” gas giant identified in 2017 that orbits a star about 200 light-years from Earth. Although scientists have already identified thousands of low-density exoplanets, this one was different from the “hot Jupiters” and even the uncommon “hot Neptunes” studied before.
Astronomers looked at the makeup of WASP-107b in hopes of understanding how it could be so massive while weighing so little, since they assumed based on features like its size and the distance from its star that it was cooler internally than it turned out to be.
“Based on its radius, mass, age, and assumed internal temperature, we thought WASP-107 b had a very small, rocky core surrounded by a huge mass of hydrogen and helium,” said Luis Welbanks of Arizona State University, who led one of the new studies on the exoplanet, in a statement to NASA. “But it was hard to understand how such a small core could sweep up so much gas, and then stop short of growing fully into a Jupiter-mass planet.”
NASA, ESA, CSA, Ralf Crawford (STScI)
WASP-107b is nearly the size of Jupiter, but just about one-tenth of the density. The exoplanet weighs about the same as 30 Earths, while Jupiter weighs more than 300, making WASP-107b one of the least dense known planets, NASA said. That was odd because it is less hot and less massive than other “puffy” exoplanets, like the Jupiter-like deep-space gas giant WASP-193b, which was discovered last year and also noted for its extraordinarily low density.
While there was no evidence-based explanation for the puffiness of larger, hotter exoplanets, either, scientists said that WASP-107b was particularly hard to explain, because it doesn’t glean enough energy from the star it orbits for the gases composing it to inflate so much. But new data from Webb, combined with older data from the Hubble Space Telescope, revealed another cause for its expansion.
The telescope observations detected only a tiny fraction of the methane gas that astronomers expected to find in WASP-107b’s atmosphere, which “tells us that the interior of the planet must be significantly hotter than we thought,” said David Sing of Johns Hopkins University, who led a second new study on WASP-107b.
That supports a theory astronomers previously proposed about why WASP-107b is “puffy,” suggesting that a process called tidal heating is responsible for both its warmer internal temperature and inflated size. Learning about the atmosphere of WASP-107b may also give crucial insight into dozens of other “puffy” low-density planets and what makes them expand, potentially helping to clear up what NASA called a “longstanding mystery in exoplanet science.”
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How to watch the Minnesota Vikings vs. Chicago Bears NFL game today: Livestream options, more
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The Minnesota Vikings will take on the Chicago Bears today. The Vikings are currently 8-2, an impressive run so far this season, and will be looking to add a fourth win to their current streak after last Sunday’s 23-13 win against the Tennessee Titans. The Bears, on the other hand, are entering this game on the heels of a four-game losing streak after a tough 20-19 loss against the Green Bay Packers last Sunday.
Here’s how and when you can watch the Vikings vs. Bears game today, whether or not you have cable.
How and when to watch the Minnesota Vikings vs. Chicago Bears
The Vikings vs. Bears game will be played on Sunday, November 24, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. ET (11:00 a.m. PT). The game will air on Fox and stream on Fubo and the platforms featured below.
How and when to watch the Minnesota Vikings vs. Chicago Bears game without cable
You can watch this week’s NFL game on Fox via several streaming services. All you need is an internet connection and one of the top options outlined below.
Fubo offers you an easy, user-friendly way to watch NFL games on CBS, Fox, NBC, ABC, ESPN, and NFL Network, plus NCAA football channels. The Pro tier includes 200+ channels and unlimited DVR, while the Elite with Sports Plus tier adds NFL RedZone and 4K resolution. New subscribers get a seven-day free trial and all plans allow streaming on up to 10 screens simultaneously.
You can watch today’s game with a subscription to Sling’s Orange + Blue tier, which includes ESPN, ABC, NBC, and Fox. The plan offers 46 channels with local NFL games, nationally broadcast games and 50 hours of DVR storage. For complete NFL coverage, add Paramount+ to get CBS games, or upgrade with the Sports Extra add-on for additional sports channels like Golf Channel, NBA TV and NFL RedZone.
Watching NFL games, including Fox broadcasts, is simple with Hulu + Live TV, which includes 90 channels, unlimited DVR storage, and access to NFL preseason games, live regular season games and studio shows. The service includes ESPN+ and Disney+ in the subscription.
Want to watch today’s game live on your smartphone? If so, NFL+ streaming service is the solution you’re looking for. It lets you watch NFL Network and out-of-market games on mobile devices, with an upgrade option to NFL+ Premium that includes NFL RedZone for watching up to eight games simultaneously. Note that NFL+ only works on phones and tablets, not TVs.
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How to watch the Detroit Lions vs. Indianapolis Colts NFL game today: Livestream options, more
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The Detroit Lions will face off against the Indianapolis Colts today. The Lions enter this game as top contenders with a near-perfect record of 9-1 so far this season. The Colts, who are 5-6 this season, could have a tough game on their hands against the Lions but will be looking to rack up another win after prevailing over the New York Jets in a tight game last Sunday.
Here’s how and when you can watch the Colts vs. Lions game today, whether or not you have cable.
Here’s how and when to watch the Detroit Lions vs. Indianapolis Colts
The Lions vs. Colts game will be played on Sunday, November 24, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. ET (11:00 a.m. PT). The game will air on Fox and stream on Fubo and the platforms featured below.
How and when to watch the Detroit Lions vs. Indianapolis Colts game without cable
You can watch this week’s NFL game on Fox via several streaming services. All you need is an internet connection and one of the top options outlined below.
Experience NFL action like never before with Fubo’s comprehensive sports streaming platform. From Sunday showdowns to primetime matchups, catch every NFL game across major networks including CBS, Fox, NBC, ABC, ESPN and NFL Network. Choose the Pro package to unlock 200+ channels and limitless DVR storage, or elevate your game-day experience with the Elite with Sports Plus package, featuring NFL RedZone’s commercial-free scoring highlights and stunning 4K quality.
Test drive the service with a no-commitment seven-day free trial, and share the excitement with family and friends — Fubo supports simultaneous streaming on up to 10 devices, so everyone can watch their favorite teams.
You can watch today’s game with a subscription to Sling’s Orange + Blue tier, which includes ESPN, ABC, NBC, and Fox. The plan offers 46 channels with local NFL games, nationally broadcast games, and 50 hours of DVR storage. For complete NFL coverage, add Paramount+ to get CBS games, or upgrade with the Sports Extra add-on for additional sports channels like Golf Channel, NBA TV and NFL RedZone.
Watching NFL games, including Fox broadcasts, is simple with Hulu + Live TV, which includes 90 channels, unlimited DVR storage, and access to NFL preseason games, live regular season games and studio shows. The service includes ESPN+ and Disney+ in the subscription.
Want to watch today’s game live on your smartphone? If so, NFL+ streaming service is the solution you’re looking for. It lets you watch NFL Network and out-of-market games on mobile devices, with an upgrade option to NFL+ Premium that includes NFL RedZone for watching up to eight games simultaneously. Note that NFL+ only works on phones and tablets, not TVs.