How Astronomers Are Mapping Alien Weather in Three Dimensions

Using NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, astronomers have discovered that the atmosphere of the giant exoplanet WASP-17b is surprisingly asymmetrical.

By tracking starlight passing through its atmosphere, researchers found that powerful winds redistribute heat, causing its evening side to expand more than its cooler morning side. This innovative technique offers a new way to map alien weather in three dimensions, potentially transforming how scientists study the climates of thousands of distant worlds

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