ESO’s VLT reveals inner wind layers of distant exoplanet – NASASpaceflight.com

February 25, 2025February 24, 2025February 21, 2025February 19, 2025February 25, 2025February 24, 2025February 10, 2025January 22, 2025February 21, 2025February 19, 2025February 13, 2025January 21, 2025January 27, 2025December 31, 2024December 30, 2024December 23, 2024January 27, 2025January 14, 2025January 13, 2025December 31, 2024February 24, 2025February 3, 2025December 31, 2024December 27, 2024February 23, 2025February 16, 2025February 12, 2025February 10, 2025February 23, 2025February 16, 2025February 9, 2025January 31, 2025May 18, 2024December 3, 2023April 26, 2023March 28, 2023January 15, 2025December 4, 2024September 12, 2024August 13, 2024February 25, 2025February 24, 2025February 21, 2025February 19, 2025February 25, 2025February 24, 2025February 10, 2025January 22, 2025February 21, 2025February 19, 2025February 13, 2025January 21, 2025January 27, 2025December 31, 2024December 30, 2024December 23, 2024January 27, 2025January 14, 2025January 13, 2025December 31, 2024February 24, 2025February 3, 2025December 31, 2024December 27, 2024February 23, 2025February 16, 2025February 12, 2025February 10, 2025February 23, 2025February 16, 2025February 9, 2025January 31, 2025May 18, 2024December 3, 2023April 26, 2023March 28, 2023January 15, 2025December 4, 2024September 12, 2024August 13, 2024February 25, 2025February 24, 2025February 21, 2025February 19, 2025February 25, 2025February 24, 2025February 10, 2025January 22, 2025February 21, 2025February 19, 2025February 13, 2025January 21, 2025January 27, 2025December 31, 2024December 30, 2024December 23, 2024January 27, 2025January 14, 2025January 13, 2025December 31, 2024February 24, 2025February 3, 2025December 31, 2024December 27, 2024February 23, 2025February 16, 2025February 12, 2025February 10, 2025February 23, 2025February 16, 2025February 9, 2025January 31, 2025May 18, 2024December 3, 2023April 26, 2023March 28, 2023January 15, 2025December 4, 2024September 12, 2024August 13, 2024Using data from the four telescopic units of the European Southern Observatory’s (ESO) Very Large Telescope (VLT), a team of scientists has successfully peered into the atmosphere of an exoplanet for the first time. Moreover, the data allowed the team to create a three-dimensional map of the atmosphere.The results showed powerful winds within the atmosphere. These winds carry elements like iron and titanium, which, in turn, create unique weather patterns throughout the atmosphere. VLT’s observations mark the first time astronomers have been able to observe the atmosphere of an exoplanet in extreme detail.“This planet’s atmosphere behaves in ways that challenge our understanding of how weather works — not just on Earth, but on all planets. It feels like something out of science fiction,” said lead author Julia Victoria Seidel of ESO in Chile.The exoplanet, named WASP-121b and formally named Tylos, is located 900 light-years away in the constellation Puppis. Discovered in 2015, Tylos is an ultra-hot Jupiter exoplanet that orbits extremely close to its host star — completing one revolution (or a year) in approximately 30 (Earth) hours. Tylos’ extreme proximity to its host star means that one side of its atmosphere is scorching hot from the star’s heat, while the other side is very cool.In 2017, Tylos became the first planet outside of the Solar System to be found to contain water in its stratosphere. VLT’s latest observations peer deeper into the atmosphere than prior observations of the exoplanet, revealing winds in distinct layers.“What we found was surprising: a jet stream rotates material around the planet’s equator, while a separate flow at lower levels of the atmosphere moves gas from the hot side to the cooler side. This kind of climate has never been seen before on any planet. Even the strongest hurricanes in the Solar System seem calm in comparison,” said Seidel.This jet stream is massive — spanning half of the planet. As the jet stream crosses into the hot dayside of Tylos, the stream gains speed and churns the Tylos’ upper atmosphere violently.Graphic showing the motion and structure of the different wind layers within Tylos. (Credit: ESO/M. Kornmesser)VLT’s observations also allowed the team to create the first-ever three-dimensional map of an exoplanet’s atmosphere. Seidel et al. specifically utilized VLT’s Echelle Spectrograph for Rocky Exoplanets and Stable Spectroscopic Observations (ESPRESSO) instrument to combine the light collected by VLT’s four telescopic units into one singular signal. The team then created the three-dimensional map from this signal.Combining the light from the four units allows scientists who use the VLT to see four times as much light as an individual telescope and fainter details. For example, from one transit of Tylos across its host star, ESPRESSO detected multiple chemical signatures within the exoplanet’s atmosphere, including iron, sodium, and hydrogen. Observing these chemical signatures allowed Seidel et al. to trace their locations within the deep, mid, and shallow layers of Tylos’ atmosphere.“The VLT enabled us to probe three different layers of the exoplanet’s atmosphere in one fell swoop. It’s the kind of observation that is very challenging to do with space telescopes, highlighting the importance of ground-based observations of exoplanets,” said co-author Leonardo A. dos Santos of the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, Maryland.Using ESO’s #VLT, astronomers have mapped the 3D structure of an exoplanet’s atmosphere for the first time. Never before had this been done in such depth and detail.Discover more: https://t.co/Tph3bv3t6aArtist’s impression by ESO/M. Kornmesser pic.twitter.com/4ADVnnecsU— ESO (@ESO) February 18, 2025Surprisingly, ESPRESSO’s data also revealed the presence of titanium just below the large jet stream in Tylos’ atmosphere. Previous observations of Tylos had hinted at an absence of titanium within the planet, likely because the element is buried deep in the planet’s atmosphere beneath the jet stream.“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,” said co-author Bibiana Prinoth of Lund University and ESO.The team’s results are exciting for exoplanet astronomy, as they show that, with the right equipment, the atmospheres of distant exoplanets can be studied in detail. However, to reveal the inner atmospheric workings of Earth-like exoplanets, scientists are going to need much larger telescopes. ESO’s upcoming Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) is expected to be able to directly observe Earth-like exoplanets and research their characteristics in depth. The ELT is currently under construction in the Atacama Desert in Chile.”The ELT will be a game-changer for studying exoplanet atmospheres. This experience makes me feel like we’re on the verge of uncovering incredible things we can only dream about now,” Prinoth explained.Seidel et al.’s results were published in the journal Nature on Feb. 18.(Lead image: Graphic showing the three main atmospheric wind layers of Tylos. Credit: ESO/M. Kornmesser)©2005-2023 – NASASpaceflight.comFebruary 25, 2025February 24, 2025February 21, 2025February 19, 2025February 25, 2025February 24, 2025February 10, 2025January 22, 2025February 21, 2025February 19, 2025February 13, 2025January 21, 2025January 27, 2025December 31, 2024December 30, 2024December 23, 2024January 27, 2025January 14, 2025January 13, 2025December 31, 2024February 24, 2025February 3, 2025December 31, 2024December 27, 2024February 23, 2025February 16, 2025February 12, 2025February 10, 2025February 23, 2025February 16, 2025February 9, 2025January 31, 2025May 18, 2024December 3, 2023April 26, 2023March 28, 2023January 15, 2025December 4, 2024September 12, 2024August 13, 2024

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