ESO News | First 3D observations of an exoplanet’s atmosphere

Astronomers have revealed for the first time the 3D structure of an exoplanet’s atmosphere. Tylos (or WASP-121b) is a gaseous, giant exoplanet located some 900 light-years away. Astronomers were able to differentiate three different layers in its atmosphere, where winds carry elements like hydrogen, sodium, iron at extreme speeds, creating weather patterns never seen before. This was possible by combining all four telescope units of ESO’s Very Large Telescope in Chile. 

For more details, check: https://www.eso.org/public/news/eso2504/.

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Credit:

ESO.
Music: Stellardrone – I Don‘t Belong Here
Script: A. Izquierdo Lopez, S. Bromilow
Footage and photos: ESO, L. Calçada, M. Kornmesser, D. Gasparri, C. Malin
Editing: A. Tsaousis

About the Video

Id:eso2504a
Release date:18 February 2025, 17:00
Related releases:eso2504
Duration:01 m 05 s
Frame rate:25 fps

About the Object

Name:WASP-121 b
Type:Milky Way : Planet : Feature : Atmosphere
Category:Exoplanets

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