James Webb Space Telescope reveals atmospheric patterns in distant worlds

Data from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is providing new insights into the atmospheric conditions of distant celestial objects, bringing scientists closer to predicting weather in worlds outside our solar system.

Researchers analyzed SIMP 0136, a brown dwarf located approximately 20 light-years from Earth. Using Principal Component Analysis to study subtle brightness changes during its rotation, scientists identified three recurring weather patterns. These variations are driven by temperature differences and changes in the vertical structure of clouds, where hotter regions feature thinner clouds and cooler regions host thicker, higher-altitude cloud layers.

In a separate study, JWST examined GJ 504 b, a pink-hued object roughly 57 light-years away. Positioned on the boundary between a giant planet and a brown dwarf, GJ 504 b has a mass about 25 times that of Jupiter. Atmospheric models suggest the presence of water vapor, methane, carbon dioxide, and ammonia. To reconcile observational data with physical models, researchers have proposed the existence of clouds composed of substances such as potassium chloride and manganese sulfide, rather than the water or ice crystals found on Earth.