The finding is an atmospheric first for astronomers but not for the planet.
planetary atmospheres
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Red-Light-Loving Bacteria Could Expand the Search for Life
Scientists are uncovering genes responsible for oxygenic photosynthesis in cyanobacteria to shift the search for potentially habitable worlds.
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Rare “Glory” Possibly Seen on Exoplanet’s Horizon
This rainbow-like atmospheric phenomenon depends on a very specific set of circumstances. It is common on Earth and incredibly rare beyond it.
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Lightning Struck Down as Source of a Venus Whistler
Whistlers were a key piece of evidence in favor of Venusian lightning. New measurements question the connection.
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These Four Exoplanets Have Wild, Rocky Weather
On many exoplanets, conditions are so exotic that minerals form clouds and fall as rain. Recent studies revealed the rocky weather on these four exoplanets in more detail than ever before.
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Meteor Impact Site Holds 200-Million-Year-Old Atmospheric Snapshot
Minerals formed in short-lived hydrothermal systems set off by a meteor impact in France preserved information about noble gases in the ancient atmosphere.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
James Webb Space Telescope Captures Saturn’s Changing Seasons
Unprecedented images reveal how Saturn’s atmosphere is evolving as summertime winds down in its northern hemisphere.
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A Planet Is Dramatically Losing Its Atmosphere
Helium that was once part of the atmosphere of the extrasolar planet HAT-P-32b is being ripped away and forming two giant streamers of gas several million kilometers long.
Posted inScience Updates
The Nitty-Gritty Forces That Shape Planetary Surfaces
Scientists are coming up with ingenious ways to compare terrestrial sand dunes, dust storms, and rain with their counterparts on Mars and Titan.
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Asteroid Impacts Could Have Warmed Ancient Mars
Hydrogen released during large impacts might have boosted Mars’s surface temperature above freezing for thousands or even millions of years, enabling liquid water to flow over the Red Planet.