Why are many of the newly detected extrasolar planets called "hot Jupiters"?
A)Their masses and composition are similar to what we would expect if Jupiter were hotter.
B)The planets tend to be detected around more massive,hotter stars than our Sun.
C)Their masses are similar to Jupiter but they are very close to the central star and therefore hot.
D)Their masses are similar to Jupiter but their composition is similar to Mercury.
E)The discovery of other planets is very exciting.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Hot Jupiters are so named because their masses are similar to Jupiter, but they orbit very close to their central star, which makes them very hot.

Why Are Many of the Newly Detected Extrasolar Planets Called