astronomy

NGTS-3Ab

NGTS-3Ab is a astronomy topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand NGTS-3Ab rather than just read about it. In short: NGTS-3Ab is a gas giant exoplanet that orbits a G-type star. Its mass is 2.38 Jupiters, it takes 1.7 days to complete one orbit of its star, and is 0.023 AU from its star.

Key takeaways

NGTS-3Ab belongs to astronomy; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect NGTS-3Ab to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of NGTS-3Ab from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

NGTS-3Ab is a gas giant exoplanet that orbits a G-type star. Its mass is 2.38 Jupiters, it takes 1.7 days to complete one orbit of its star, and is 0.023 AU from its star. Its discovery was announced in 2018. The Jupiter-like planet is discovered by 39 astronomers, mainly Max Günther, Didier Queloz, Edward Gillen, Laetitia Delrez, and Francois Bouchy.

Overview NGTS-3Ab was discovered in 2018 by the use of transit method. It is the only planet orbiting around NGTS-3A, a G6V class star, situated in the constellation of Columba in 2480 light years from the Sun. The exoplanet orbits its star in about 2 terrestrial days. The orbit is closer to the star than the internal limit of the habitable zone. It has a low density and can be composed of gas. It has a low Earth similarity index (0.06) and should be very different from our planet.

Discovery The discovery of NGTS-3Ab, a hot Jupiter found orbiting a star in a still visually unresolved binary system, was announced in June 2018. The data regarding the exoplanet is based on the data gathered with the Next Generation Transit Survey (NGTS), SPECULOOS, and HARPS, and enhanced by recent advances with the centroiding technique for NGTS. The planetary system NGTS-3A was detected by a conjointly model multi-colour photometry, centroids and radial velocity (RV) extraction process. RV cross-correlation functions (CCFs) and study correlations of the bisector inverse span (BIS) are simulated in order to define the characteristics of the exoplanet NGTS-3Ab.

See also NGTS-3 List of exoplanet firsts List of exoplanetary host stars List of exoplanets discovered using the Kepler spacecraft List of planets observed during Kepler's K2 mission

References

Further reading "NGTS-3Ab". exoplanetarchive.ipac.caltech.edu. "The Extrasolar Planet Encyclopaedia — NGTS-3Ab". exoplanet.eu.

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with NGTS-3Ab

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what NGTS-3Ab claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In astronomy, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to NGTS-3Ab before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about NGTS-3Ab ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of NGTS-3Ab

In research: NGTS-3Ab appears in astronomy research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses NGTS-3Ab in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: NGTS-3Ab is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Columba (constellation), Exoplanets discovered in 2018, Hot Jupiters, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for NGTS-3Ab outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

Affiliate

Preply — study more efficiently by working with a personal tutor. 50% off.

How to study NGTS-3Ab in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what NGTS-3Ab means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain NGTS-3Ab out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is NGTS-3Ab in simple terms?

NGTS-3Ab is a gas giant exoplanet that orbits a G-type star. Its mass is 2.38 Jupiters, it takes 1.7 days to complete one orbit of its star, and is 0.023 AU from its star.

Why does NGTS-3Ab matter?

Because it connects several astronomy ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study NGTS-3Ab?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on NGTS-3Ab.