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