hot gas-giant exoplanet 280 light-years away

Webb Telescope Unveils Climate of Fiery Gas Giant 280 Light-Years Distant

 

Discover the cosmic weather report from 280 light-years away! NASA’s Webb Telescope reveals extreme conditions on a distant gas giant, unveiling thick clouds, blazing temperatures, and mysterious wind patterns.


Using NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), scientists have essentially become cosmic meteorologists, peering into the atmospheric conditions of a distant world called WASP-43 b. This planet is a hefty gas giant, resembling Jupiter, chilling about 280 light-years away in the Sextans constellation. Thanks to JWST’s superpowers in gauging temperature fluctuations and sniffing out atmospheric gases, researchers managed to sketch out what it’s like over there.
WASP-43 b wasn’t shy about being discovered, popping up on astronomers’ radars back in 2011. Since then, it’s been under the telescopic gaze of NASA’s Hubble and the now-retired Spitzer space telescopes.
So, what’s the scoop on this distant planet’s climate? Well, JWST’s precise measurements of brightness, combined with fancy 3D climate simulations and data from other telescopes, paint a picture of extreme weather. It seems this gas giant rocks thick, lofty clouds on its nightside, while enjoying clear skies on its dayside. Plus, it boasts equatorial winds zipping around at speeds of about 5,000 miles per hour, stirring up its toasty atmosphere.
To dissect WASP-43 b’s weather, scientists used a method called phase curve spectroscopy. This involves closely monitoring tiny shifts in the brightness of the star-planet duo as the planet orbits its sun. JWST’s Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) was the star of the show, capturing light from the WASP-43 system every 10 seconds for over a day.
The data spilled some interesting beans. The dayside of the planet sizzles at nearly 2,300 degrees Fahrenheit (1,250 degrees Celsius), while the nightside chills out at a comparatively cooler 1,100 degrees Fahrenheit (600 degrees Celsius).
But here’s the kicker: the nightside is likely snuggled under a cozy blanket of thick clouds, playing peekaboo with the infrared light trying to escape into space. As a result, despite being hot, the nightside looks dimmer and cooler than it actually is, all thanks to those clouds.
What about the atmosphere’s recipe? Well, JWST’s observations didn’t disappoint. They revealed water vapor hanging out on both the nightside and dayside, giving clues about the clouds’ thickness and altitude. But oddly, there’s a methane mystery. Despite it being expected on the cooler nightside, where it should be comfy, it’s nowhere to be found. This absence hints at some wild wind antics, possibly reaching speeds of 5,000 miles per hour, as Joanna Barstow from the Open University in the U.K. explains.
Leading this cosmic weather expedition is Taylor Bell, a researcher from the Bay Area Environmental Research Institute.
In a tweet, NASA proudly shared the discovery of weather patterns on this distant gas giant, showcasing the wonders of mapping temperature and inferring weather conditions from afar.

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