WASP-18 b is a sizzling-hot exoplanet orbiting the star WASP-18, discovered in 2009 using the transit method by the SuperWASP project. This fiery world is a gas giant that orbits extremely close to its star, making it one of the most scorching planets known. Imagine a planet so close to its star that a year there lasts just a few Earth days, with temperatures soaring high enough to challenge any heatwave witnessed on Earth. The discovery used the sharp eyes of the iKon-L CCD Camera to catch the tiny dip in starlight as WASP-18 b passed in front of its host star. While far away from our cozy solar system, this planet's extreme conditions spark curiosity and remind us just how diverse and wild the universe can be!
