While this gas giant is similar in size to Jupiter, it has only 12% of Jupiter’s mass and has long intrigued astronomers due to its “fluffy” composition. The data revealed that WASP-107b has a scorching hot atmosphere with temperatures exceeding 900 degrees Fahrenheit. Most notably, the observations indicate the presence of sandy clouds high in the atmosphere that can fall like rain onto the planet’s surface.
Astronomers have been captivated by the distant exoplanet known as WASP-107b, located 200 million lightyears away, primarily due to its peculiar and “fluffy” composition reminiscent of cotton candy. Recent observations of this gas giant using NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope have unveiled a world more exotic and intriguing than previously imagined.
WASP-107b, a Neptune-like gas giant, has long fascinated scientists with its unusual properties. Despite being approximately the size of Jupiter, it possesses only 12% of Jupiter’s mass. Furthermore, it orbits a star that is slightly cooler and less massive than our own sun.
One of the most striking characteristics of WASP-107b is its extreme heat, with an outer atmosphere that registers at more than 900 degrees Fahrenheit (approximately 480 degrees Celsius). This scorching temperature makes it an inhospitable environment.
However, the latest findings, published in the journal Nature in June, have shed new light on this enigmatic exoplanet. The data collected by the James Webb Space Telescope have allowed astronomers to delve deep into WASP-107b’s atmosphere, providing insights not feasible for denser gas giants like Jupiter.
The most remarkable discovery is the presence of sandy clouds high in the exoplanet’s atmosphere. These clouds contain tiny mineral particles and have the capability to precipitate like rain onto the planet’s surface. This phenomenon is unlike anything observed in our own solar system.
French astronomer Achrène Dyrek, a co-author of the study, expressed the significance of these findings, stating, “We are unravelling new worlds. (The Webb telescope) enables a deep atmospheric characterization of an exoplanet that does not have any counterpart in our solar system.”
While WASP-107b’s “fluffy” nature has made it an intriguing subject of study, the recent observations have provided a deeper understanding of this distant world, highlighting its extreme conditions and the unique atmospheric processes that shape it.