The universe is multifaceted and amazing, it is fraught with a lot of mysteries and hides objects incomprehensible to the average person. Outside of our tiny, by the standards of Cosmos, Solar system, there are planets whose size and mass are many times greater than objects located in close proximity to the Earth.

The term "exoplanets" is used to refer to the giants of the universe. Below are the largest exoplanets of the Universe, discovered by scientists in various periods.

Seventh place - HD 189733A b

The exoplanet HD 189733A b assigned to the class of gas giants rotates in the star system HD 189733A, located in the constellation Chanterelle. The dimensions of the celestial body are 81 357 km, which exceeds the radius of Jupiter by 1.138 times. A distinctive feature of the planet, located at a distance of 63 light years from Earth, is the sky - blue color.

HD 189733A b rotates in extreme proximity to the parent star and is constantly facing the star on one side. These features are responsible for the high temperature of 930 degrees on one side of the celestial body, and a relatively low 425 degrees on the other.

The uniqueness of the exoplanet lies in the presence in the atmosphere of minerals - silicates. Instead of the usual rain on earth from water on this planet it is raining from particles of minerals that move not only vertically, but also in a horizontal plane. Moreover, their speed is about 9000 km per hour.

Sixth place - TrES-2 b

The exoplanet TrES-2 b was discovered in the star system GSC 03549-02811A, belonging to the constellation Dragon. The radius of this celestial body is 90,937 km, which is 1.2 times the size of Jupiter. The proximity of the object from the parent star determines the high temperature of its surface, which ranges from 1000 degrees.

Exoplanet TrES-2 b attributed to the number of gas giants, is a unique object of its kind. According to the data obtained by scientists, the giant reflects no more than 1% of the light falling on its surface, which makes it possible to characterize it like the darkest planet of the universe.

At present, the scientific world does not find an exact explanation of such a specific feature. According to one hypothesis, the main substances that make up a giant are titanium oxide, potassium, and gaseous sodium, known for their ability to absorb light.

Fifth place - HD 209458 b (Osiris)

Planet HD 209458 b (Osiris), located in the constellation Pegasus, is on the list of the first that have been discovered by scientists outside the solar system. An amazing celestial body is assigned to the class of gas giants, the radius of the planet is 96 514 km, which is 1.35 more than the size of Jupiter, while the mass is 30% less.

The distance of Osirius to the parent star is extremely small and amounts to only 5 million km. For this reason, the surface of the celestial body is heated to 1000 degrees.

The distance of the planet from the star, insignificant by the standards of the Cosmos, is one of the factors that determine the distinctive feature of Osiris - the gases that make up the celestial body cannot be held within the gravitational field due to high pressure and extreme temperatures. Under their influence, the substance evaporates, forming a kind of tail, thanks to which Osiris is qualified by scientists as a planet - a comet.

Fourth Place - TRES-4B

The exoplanet TRES-4B is located in the TrES-4A star system located in the constellation Hercules. Until 2011, this particular giant possessed the status of the largest planet in the Universe.. The exoplanet is located at an extremely small distance from the parent star, the distance is 4.5 million kilometers. The duration of the year is only 3.5 days.

The dimensions of the giant are 121 965 km, which is almost twice the radius of Jupiter. The surface heats up to 1700 degrees. Due to its size and low gravity, TrES-4A b cannot retain its own substance, which is constantly lost from its atmosphere, which makes the planet resemble a comet.

The uniqueness of the giant lies in its location. The exoplanet is in a system of two stars, the opposition of which prevents the formation of satellites and the relative stability of the orbits. TrES-4A b is a real mystery for scientists, since the data set of this cosmic body completely refutes its existence.

Third place - planet WASP-12 b

The exoplanet WASP-12 b, rotating in the system of the star WASP-12, located in the constellation of the Ascendant, can rightly be attributed to the most amazing objects in the Universe. The radius of the giant is almost two times greater than the corresponding values ​​of Jupiter, and is 130,830 km. The uniqueness of the exoplanet is due to extremely close proximity to the parent star. The distance of the remoteness of the planet is 75 times less than the remoteness of the Earth from the sun. It is the close proximity of the giant to the luminary that determines its large size. The duration of the year is comparable to the earth's day, during which time a complete revolution of the cosmic body around the star takes place.

According to scientific data, exoplanet entered the final stage of life. Exposure to a nearby parental star leads to the gradual destruction of the planet and a change in its original shape. Now you can compare the shape of a giant with the shape of a rugby ball.

Second place - planet WASP-17 b

WASP-17 b is a unique gas giant of the WASP-17 star system located in the constellation Scorpio. The uniqueness of the exoplanet lies in the retrograde orbit, which is not characteristic of any planets studied by man. The term retrograde refers to the rotation opposite to the rotation of the parent star.

The gas giant is characterized as an exoplanet, which has the lowest density level, which is 50% of the density of Jupiter. The diameter of WASP-17 b is twice the size of the giant solar system.

The discovery of the exoplanet was made in August 2009 by a team of researchers through telescopes of the South African Astronomical Observatory. In 2013, with the help of the Hubble heavy-duty telescope, another discovery was made, consisting in the detection of water vapor on the surface of the gas giant.

The largest planet in the universe

The largest planet in the universe is HAT-P-32b (at a site accessible for study by scientists today). Due to the high levels of activity and noise, it is not possible to determine the exact size of the giant, the data obtained imply the presence of significant errors. The exoplanet is assigned to the star system NAT-R-32. One revolution of a giant around a star takes a period of time equal to 2.15 Earth days.

According to extremely small values ​​of average density and friability, this planet has similar parameters to other hot giants, the surface of which heats up to 1600K. It is only 5 million km away from its star, due to high temperatures and star gravity, a gradual mass loss occurs.

The radius of the planet HAT-P-32b is 145,629 km, which corresponds to 2,037 the radius of the largest planet in the solar system - Jupiter. The mass of the exoplanet is 0.941 of the mass of Jupiter. The amazing giant is located 1044 light years from Earth. The object was first discovered in 2004, but the status of the planet was assigned only on June 08, 2011.

According to one theory, the total number of exoplanets in the space of the universe is more than 100 billion. Only a small part of them is accessible to humanity for study. However, the data obtained to date is enough to draw conclusions that planets with a low density, classified as gas giants, have the maximum sizes.