Webb Space Telescope Discovers Water on Ultra-Hot Exoplanet

Scientists have used the James Webb Space Telescope to create the first detailed temperature map of exoplanet WASP-18 b and identified water vapor in its extremely hot atmosphere. The planet is an ultra-hot gas giant 10 times more massive than Jupiter, and one orbit around its star takes just 23 hours. The temperature map shows a huge change in temperature from the hottest point facing the star to the terminator, where day and night sides of the tidally-locked planet meet in permanent twilight. The discovery is providing valuable insights into the planet's formation, suggesting it likely emerged from the leftover gas after its star's birth.