Isha Sharma
NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has made a groundbreaking discovery, detecting atmospheric asymmetry on the exoplanet WASP-107b. This phenomenon, never observed before, reveals significant differences between the eastern and western hemispheres of the planet’s atmosphere. WASP-107b, a gas giant about the size of Jupiter but with only one-tenth of its mass, stands out not only due to its size but also its inflated atmosphere. Researchers from the University of Arizona and an international team of scientists studied the exoplanet, publishing their findings in Nature Astronomy.
Exoplanet’s Asymmetry
The JWST’s discovery reveals that the exoplanet’s atmosphere is asymmetric, meaning the temperature and cloud properties differ between its eastern and western hemispheres.
WASP-107b is tidally locked to its host star, leaving one side in perpetual daylight and the other in constant darkness.
Using transmission spectroscopy, scientists observed the planet’s atmosphere as it transited its star, splitting the signals from the eastern and western sides to analyse their differences.
Unique Properties of WASP-107b
WASP-107b has an unusually low density and low gravity, leading to its highly inflated atmosphere.
With temperatures reaching 890 degrees Fahrenheit, this planet is unlike any found in our solar system.
The study’s lead author, Matthew Murphy, noted that the discovery was made possible through JWST’s advanced space-based capabilities, highlighting the advantages over ground-based observations.
Unique ‘Puffball’ Exoplanet Discovered
Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope have discovered that exoplanet WASP-107 b, located 210 light-years away, has an unusual asymmetry in its atmosphere.
This gas giant, 94% the size of Jupiter but much lighter, has a “puffy” atmosphere with one side receiving more sunlight than the other.
The planet is tidally locked to its star, meaning one side is always in daylight while the other remains in darkness.
The findings challenge previous models, with researchers now investigating the atmospheric processes causing this strange imbalance
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