The James Webb Space Telescope has revealed a ring-shaped atmosphere with gem-like structures on the scorching exoplanet WASP-17b, which has a marshmallow-like density.
01Summary
- 01WASP-17b is 1,300 light-years away, with a mass 0.8 times Jupiter but twice its width, giving it a super-puff consistency.
- 02The exoplanet orbits its star in under four Earth days and is tidally locked, with a dayside temperature high enough to create a hot Jupiter.
- 03Using a transmission strings technique, scientists mapped the atmosphere, finding a ring shape with prominent 'gems' that rise from it.
- 04The atmosphere's chemical composition and temperature shift between the dayside and nightside, matching theoretical predictions.
- 05The research was published in Nature Astronomy on October 14.
02Why it matters
This breakthrough demonstrates that exoplanet atmospheres are complex 3D objects, not uniform circles, improving our understanding of distant worlds and the methods used to study them.
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