When you buy through links in our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn commission. An illustration of a gas giant exoplanet evolving into a hot Jupiter. | Credit: NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/J. da Silva There’s more to a distant gas giant planet than meets the eye. Astronomers have discovered that an extrasolar planet, or “exoplanet,” not… Read More »
Astronomers may have discovered the presence of water in the atmosphere of a scorching hot planet that is one of the most “metal” worlds ever detected. The planet’s formation remains a mystery that could be solved by the discovery. The extrasolar planet or “exoplanet” in question is HD 149026 b, also known as “Smertrios”, meaning… Read More »
Sign up for CNN’s Wonder Theory science newsletter. Explore the universe with news about fascinating discoveries, scientific advances and more. A Jupiter-sized exoplanet has long intrigued astronomers for its scorching temperatures, screaming winds, and glassy sidereal rain. Now, data from the James Webb Space Telescope has revealed another intriguing feature of the planet, known as… Read More »
The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) will begin investigating the spectacular light shows of solar system giants Uranus and Saturn. Two separate teams of astronomers at the University of Leicester will use the $10 billion space telescope to study auroras on gas giant Saturn and cold ice giant Uranus. The aim will be to explain… Read More »
It could be argued that one of the most confusing aspects of our solar system is the fact that not every planet is a nice, solid rock like Earth. Some are literally made almost entirely of gas. You can’t exactly “stop” anywhere on Jupiter unless you can squeeze through layers of gas and survive unreal… Read More »