Posted by Heba El-Sayed
Sunday, March 26, 2023 02:00 PM
One of the most exciting things about James Webb Telescope The alien is that not only can it detect exoplanets, it can also look at their atmospheres to see what they’re made of, understanding the atmospheres of exoplanets in finding potentially habitable worlds also turns up some amazing stuff – like the recent discovery of an exoplanet Atmosphere full of sandy clouds.
The exoplanet VHS 1256 b, about 40 light-years away, has a complex and dynamic atmosphere that shows significant changes 22 hours a day, Digitartlends reported.
Not only does the atmosphere show evidence of common chemicals such as water, methane and carbon monoxide, but it also appears to be filled with clouds of silicate grains.
Astronomers were able to get an excellent view of the planet because instead of orbiting a single star like the planets in our solar system, this planet orbits a pair of stars and it takes 10,000 years to complete a full orbit.
This means that it is farther away from the light of its stars, so it is easier for astronomers to see the planet’s relatively dim reflected light.
“VHS 1256 b is four times farther from its stars, Pluto and our sun, making it a great target for Webb,” science team leader Brittany Miles of the University of Arizona said in a statement. “This means that the light of the planet does not mix with the light of its stars.”
Sand clouds are unusual, but not unheard of when it comes to exoplanets, in this case the cirrus clouds are located high in the planet’s atmosphere, where temperatures reach an incredible 1,500 degrees Fahrenheit.
The planet also has low gravity, which allows clouds of large and small particles to float high in the atmosphere.
“The fine silicate grains in its atmosphere may be more like tiny particles in smoke,” said co-author Beth Beller from the University of Edinburgh. “The big grains might be like very small, very hot sand particles.”
The researchers say that although they are excited about their findings, they want to do more research to understand the planet’s atmosphere. “We’ve identified the silicates, but a better understanding of the grain sizes and shapes that correspond to specific types of clouds will require a lot of additional work,” Miles said.
