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A monolithic , gassy planet 1,300 light - years away is so hot , its clouds are made of lechatelierite crystals . hit the books it could help scientist understand more about how cloud form in extremealien environs .
The finding , published Oct. 16 inThe Astrophysical Journal Letters , comes from an international squad of researcher using theJames Webb Space Telescope(JWST ) .
An artist’s impression of the exoplanet WASP-17b, which may contain clouds of quartz in its atmosphere.
WASP-17b is a Jupiter - corresponding exoplanet that scientists first distinguish in 2009 . It orbits highly nigh to its star , which heat up its atmosphere up to a sulphurous 2,700 degrees Fahrenheit ( 1,500 degrees Celsius ) . The satellite itself is a bit of a lightweight ; though WASP-17b ’s radius is about twice that ofJupiter , it has only about half Jupiter ’s heap . This makes WASP-17b one of the " tumescent " exoplanets discovered to appointment .
But astronomer recently discovered that WASP-17b ’s evidently downy clouds are hiding a secret : They ’re composed of petite , solid - vitreous silica crystals .
" We know from Hubble observations that there must be aerosols — lilliputian particle make up clouds or fog — in WASP-17b ’s atmosphere , but we did n’t wait them to be made of quartz,“David Grant , an stargazer at the University of Bristol in the U.K. and first author of the study , said in astatement . " We were thrilled ! "
These unexpected crystals are the first silica subatomic particle ever find in anexoplanet ’s aura . The researchers believe that , unlike the minuscule chips of rock that sometimes circulate in Earth ’s clouds , these crystals were n’t swept up from WASP-17b ’s surface . Instead , they shape directly in its atmosphere as the resultant of intense heat and pressure . Based on how the crystals sprinkle starlight , the squad estimates that each gem is about 10 nanometre across — less than one - millionth the size of an average grain of sand .
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Right now , it remain unclear how permeant these vitreous silica clouds are across WASP-17b . The planet is tidally locked , meaning one side always confront its star while the other faces away . It ’s possible that the crystals circulate through the air on the night side , only to aerify in the daytime .
WASP-17b ’s lucid cloud are just one illustration of an unusual exoplanet characteristic come upon using JWST ; in September , the scope made news show after detectingpotential signs of biological lifein the air of the exoplanet K2 - 18 b. Soon , the telescope will turn its instruments on other unearthly and grand humankind — and scientists are wait with bated breath to see what it espy next .
