JWST Reveals Pluto’s Haze Cools Atmosphere, Paints Charon’s Poles Red
Pluto and its moon Charon are shown with a thin haze of organic particles covering Pluto's sunlit side. The haze both cools Pluto's upper atmosphere by radiating heat into space…
James Webb Telescope Maps Fiery Atmosphere of Turbulent Exoplanet WASP-121b
Astronomers have found a way to see through the turbulent atmosphere of a distant planet that experienced heat and gale-force winds — conditions that are thought to be similar to those…
MAVEN Reveals How Mars Lost Its Atmosphere and Became a Barren World
Mars used to be a wetter world. Scientists have long pointed to evidence like dried-up riverbeds and ancient lake basins. For that much water to exist, Mars would have needed…
Astronomers Detect Methane in the Atmosphere of the Nearest T Dwarf Star to Earth
The scientists have found methane in the atmosphere of WISEA J181006.18 −101000.5, the T dwarf closest to Earth. The study was published in the online preprint journal arXiv on March…
Exoplanet WASP-121 b’s Atmosphere Features Iron Rains, Jet Streams, and More
An exoplanet with extreme weather conditions, including iron rain and violent winds, has been identified around 900 light-years away. The planet, WASP-121 b, has been found to experience intense atmospheric…
Newly Discovered Oxygen Reaction Existed in Primitive Atmosphere, Sheds Light on Origin of Life
A new method for oxygen formation in carbon dioxide-rich planetary atmospheres has been identified, potentially altering the approach to searching for extraterrestrial life. This discovery demonstrates a unique pathway for…
Greenhouse Gas is Rising Rapidly in Atmosphere Due to Human Activities, Highlights New Report
Recent research highlights a troubling rise in atmospheric methane, a greenhouse gas 80 times more effective than carbon dioxide (CO2) at trapping heat in the short term. Despite the 2021…
Astronomers Discover Water and Carbon Dioxide in WASP-166 b’s Atmosphere
Astronomers have analysed the atmosphere of WASP-166 b, a hot super-Neptune exoplanet, revealing the presence of water and carbon dioxide. Using data from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), the…
Could Sprinkling Diamond Dust in the Atmosphere Help Reverse Global Warming?
A team of climate and earth scientists are exploring an idea that sounds almost unbelievable: using diamond dust to cool the planet. This approach aims to slow down global warming…
NASA’s 15-Year-Old NEOWISE Spacecraft Re-Enters Earth’s Atmosphere After 15 Years in Space
NASA's asteroid-hunting spacecraft, NEOWISE, has officially concluded its journey, meeting its end as it re-entered Earth's atmosphere and burned up on 1 November. Over its 15-year lifespan, NEOWISE catalogued nearly…