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James Webb Telescope WASP-17b atmospheric mapping

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2026-10-17 14:22 UTC → 2026-10-18 13:54 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope have mapped the asymmetrical atmosphere of the exoplanet WASP-17b, a ‘hot Jupiter’ located approximately 1,300 light-years from Earth. Using an innovative technique called ‘transmission strings,’ an international research team led by Cornell University and the University of Bristol identified that the planet’s gaseous envelope is not a uniform ring. The findings, published in Nature Astronomy, show that the atmosphere features a significant asymmetry where the evening limb is hotter and more extended than the morning limb. This distortion is driven by intense stellar radiation and powerful winds that transport thermal energy from the permanently illuminated dayside to the shadowed nightside. The discovery provides empirical evidence that these gas giants are complex 3D objects, validating existing mathematical models regarding the thermal dynamics of extreme worlds. The observations further offer detailed insights into chemical composition and temperature variations across the planet’s equator, poles, and day-night sides.

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