For the first time ever, scientists have 3D-mapped the atmosphere of a planet far beyond our solar system.
Astronomers at the European Southern Observatory (ESO) in Chile and other institutions examined separate layers of the planet’s atmosphere in 3D by combining multiple telescope units.
The planet in question is called WASP-121b (or Tylos) and it's located around 900 light years away. It's been dubbed the 'ultra-hot Jupiter' because of its extreme temperature differences and volatile climate. And, because the gas giant orbits so close to its star, each year lasts only 30 of Earth's hours.
What they found on the alien planet was an intricate system of jet streams, temperature contrasts and powerful winds that carry chemical elements in complicated, swirling patterns.
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Scientists say that the new 3D understanding of the distant planet's temperature could change the way we think about our current weather.
“This planet’s atmosphere behaves in ways that challenge our understanding of how weather works – not just on Earth, but on all planets," said Julia Victoria Seidel, a researcher at the European Southern Observatory (ESO) in Chile and lead author of the study, adding that it feels like something out of 'science fiction.'
In the study, astronomers were able to use the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope to probe the planet’s atmosphere.
“The VLT enabled us to probe three different layers of the exoplanet’s atmosphere in one fell swoop,” said study co-author Leonardo A. dos Santos, an assistant astronomer at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, US.
The unique climate is controlled by a jet stream that 'rotates material around the planet’s equator,' while another 'flows at lower levels of the atmosphere and moves gas from the hot side to the cooler side.'
"This kind of climate has never been seen before on any planet,” Dr Seidel added. “Even the strongest hurricanes in the solar system seem calm in comparison.”
And just before they thought they had seen it all, there was an even bigger surprise - titanium. Previous studies suggested the element wasn’t there, but turns out, it was hidden deep in the atmosphere.
“It’s truly mind-blowing that we’re able to study details like the chemical makeup and weather patterns of a planet at such a vast distance,” commented Bibiana Prinoth, a PhD student at Lund University, Sweden.
dos Santos concluded: “It’s the kind of observation that is very challenging to do with space telescopes, highlighting the importance of ground-based observations of exoplanets."