CNN —Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope have for the first time detected tiny quartz crystals containing silica — a common mineral on Earth — within the atmosphere of a blazing hot exoplanet. An artist's concept depicts what the exoplanet WASP-17b could look like. What the quartz crystals reveal about WASP-17bWasp-17b takes 3.7 Earth days to complete one orbit around its star. Webb detected quartz crystals in the atmosphere of WASP-17b. While the clouds can drift around the planet, they likely vaporize on the hot day side, which could send the quartz particles swirling.

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Persons: James Webb, Ralf Crawford, “, ”, David Grant, Hannah Wakeford, ” Grant, Wakeford Organizations: CNN —, NASA, ESA, CSA, University of Bristol, WASP, Minerals, “ WASP