Astronomers led by Northwestern University report that the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) detects salty clouds in the atmosphere of an exoplanet informally known as the “Pink Planet.” The planet’s long-observed rosy haze has puzzled researchers for more than a decade, partly because the object is extremely faint and has been difficult to study in detail from Earth. In the new work, JWST provides improved observations of the planetary-mass companion, revealing atmospheric chemistry that includes unusual constituents. The researchers describe the presence of clouds composed of salt, which they say differ from clouds previously seen in other exoplanet atmospheres. The findings come as part of efforts to characterize the composition and properties of very cold, directly imaged planetary companions. While earlier observations could not resolve the atmosphere well enough to identify specific materials, the new JWST data allow scientists to infer more about the atmosphere’s composition, including the unexpected formation of salty cloud material.
JWST finds salty clouds in the atmosphere of an exoplanet dubbed the “Pink Planet”
Astronomers led by Northwestern University report that the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) detects salty clouds in the atmosphere of an exoplanet informally known as the “Pink Planet.” The planet’s...
- Astronomers use the James Webb Space Telescope to study the exoplanet companion called the “Pink Planet.”
- JWST observations indicate the presence of clouds made of salt in the planet’s atmosphere.
- Researchers report the planet’s earlier long-lasting rosy haze has been difficult to explain from prior data.
- The object has been challenging to analyze because it is extremely faint from Earth.
- The study also finds signs of exotic atmospheric chemistry beyond the salty clouds.
Northwestern University-led astronomers have discovered salty skies surrounding the universe's famous "Pink Planet." For more than a decade, the ancient, rosy-hazed world kept astronomers guessing. One of the coldest known planetary-mass companions ever directly imaged, the elusive object is too faint for astronomers to dissect its light from Earth. But new observations from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) reveal an atmosphere filled with exotic chemistry—and salty clouds unlike anything seen before.
6 hours agoThe pink planet has fascinated astronomers for years. The James Webb Space Telescope finally got a good look and found something no one expected: clouds made of salt.
6 hours ago
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