2023-10-22 04:00:09
A distant exoplanet, WASP-17b, presents an exceptional atmospheric phenomenon: its clouds are composed of quartz crystals. This discovery surprises the scientific community and opens new perspectives for the study of extraterrestrial environments.
An artistic representation of the exoplanet WASP-17b, whose atmosphere might contain quartz clouds.
Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, and R. Crawford (STScI)
Located 1,300 light years from Earth, WASP-17b is a Jupiter-type exoplanet. Discovered in 2009, it is in a very close orbit around its star (A star is a celestial object emitting light autonomously , similar to a…), heating its atmosphere to around 1,500 degrees Celsius. Although twice the size of Jupiter, it has only half its mass, making it one of the most “bloated” exoplanets known. nowadays.
David Grant, astronomer at the University of Bristol and lead author of the study, explains that these quartz clouds formed directly into the atmosphere of WASP-17b, under the effect of heat (In common language, the words heat and temperature often have an equivalent meaning:…) and pressure (Pressure is a fundamental physical concept We can see it as a force reported…) extremes. According to estimates, each crystal would be around ten nanometers in diameter. center…), or much less than a grain (In maritime meteorology: A grain is a violent wind of short duration which rises…) of sand (Sand, or arena, is a sedimentary rock furniture, made up of small…) medium.
The mysterious side of this discovery lies in the distribution of these clouds on WASP-17b. The exoplanet is in synchronous rotation, which means that the same face is always oriented towards its star. It is possible that these quartz crystals circulate in the atmosphere on the night side and then vaporize in the light of the day.
This intriguing atmospheric phenomenon is just one of many that the James Webb Telescope is expected to reveal in times to come. Researchers are eager to discover what other strange worlds the telescope might reveal to us.
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