COSMOS MAGAZINE
Astronomers can now observe the weather on exoplanets hundreds of light-years away, revealing extreme conditions like mineral-rich clouds and sand or gemstone rain on young, hot gas giants known as “hot Jupiters.”
Credit: ESO/Bohn et al. (CC BY 4.0).
These clouds are made of condensed minerals such as silicates, iron, and aluminium oxides, and can form in the turbulent atmospheres of planets still early in their evolution.
Using powerful tools like the James Webb Space Telescope, scientists detect the chemical makeup of these clouds by analysing the absorption spectra of light from distant stars.
Dr Devika Kamath. Supplied.
Despite the challenge of securing observation time, these discoveries are helping scientists understand planetary formation and the diversity of exoplanetary systems.