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Tidally Locked Planet

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Webb Telescope Unveils Eternal Twilight on Distant Exoplanet
space-exploration1 year ago

Webb Telescope Unveils Eternal Twilight on Distant Exoplanet

Researchers using the James Webb Space Telescope have confirmed that the exoplanet WASP-39 b, which is tidally locked to its star, exhibits significant atmospheric differences between its eternal morning and evening sides. The evening side is hotter by about 300°F (200°C) and less cloudy compared to the morning side. This discovery was made using Webb's NIRSpec, revealing detailed temperature and cloud cover variations, and providing new insights into the atmospheric dynamics of tidally locked exoplanets.