Supersonic Winds On Distant Planet Break Speed Records – The Daily Galaxy –Great Discoveries Channel

Astronomers have uncovered a phenomenon so extreme it redefines our understanding of planetary weather. On a distant gas giant over 500 light-years away, winds are ripping through the atmosphere at record-breaking speeds—faster than anything ever observed in the cosmos. But what forces are driving this alien chaos, and how does it compare to the weather we know on Earth? Astronomers have uncovered a jaw-dropping phenomenon on the distant gas giant WASP-127b: supersonic winds moving at an astonishing speed of 33,000 kilometers per hour (20,500 miles per hour). This discovery sets a new record for the fastest winds ever detected on a planet, surpassing anything observed in our Solar System and offering fresh insight into the extreme weather of exoplanets.Discovered in 2016, WASP-127b is a “puffy” gas giant slightly larger than Jupiter but with a much lower mass. Its atmosphere is exceptionally extended, making it a prime candidate for detailed atmospheric studies. Unlike Earth, where winds and storms arise from temperature differences and the planet’s rotation, the weather on WASP-127b is driven by far more intense forces.The planet is believed to be tidally locked to its host star, meaning one side perpetually faces the star while the other side remains in eternal darkness. This setup creates extreme atmospheric conditions as the planet’s winds redistribute heat from the scorching day side to the frigid night side. However, even with these expectations, the recorded wind speeds shocked researchers.Using the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope (VLT) in Chile, scientists detected equatorial jetstream winds circling the planet at nearly 9 kilometers per second. Lisa Nortmann, lead researcher from the University of Göttingen, described this as a remarkable discovery:“Part of the atmosphere of this planet is moving towards us at a high velocity while another part is moving away from us at the same speed. This signal shows us that there is a very fast, supersonic, jet wind around the planet’s equator.”To put this into perspective, the fastest winds in our Solar System, recorded on Neptune, clock in at around 1,800 kilometers per hour (1,118 miles per hour). WASP-127b’s winds are nearly 18 times faster, moving at speeds that rival some of the fastest meteoroids.The breakthrough came thanks to the CRIRES+ instrument on the VLT, which enabled scientists to analyze how starlight interacts with the gases in the planet’s atmosphere. By measuring specific wavelengths of light absorbed and emitted by molecules, the team identified water vapor and carbon monoxide. More intriguingly, they discovered the molecules were moving at extraordinary speeds, revealing a dynamic atmosphere in constant motion.Unexpectedly, the researchers observed a double peak in the data: one side of the planet’s atmosphere moved toward Earth, while the other side moved away. This indicated the presence of a supersonic jetstream racing around the equator rather than a simple day-to-night heat flow.In addition to the winds, the team uncovered temperature variations across the planet’s atmosphere. The poles appeared cooler than the equator, and the temperature difference between the planet’s morning and evening sides hinted at complex atmospheric dynamics. Fei Yan, a co-author from the University of Science and Technology of China, explained: “This shows that the planet has complex weather patterns, just like Earth and other planets of our own system.”These findings challenge previous assumptions that exoplanetary atmospheres are relatively uniform. Instead, WASP-127b demonstrates a rich interplay of temperature and wind patterns, painting a picture of a chaotic yet fascinating alien climate.The ability to measure such extreme weather on a distant planet reflects how far exoplanetary science has come. Just a few years ago, astronomers could only estimate a planet’s mass and radius, leaving its atmosphere a mystery. Now, thanks to powerful ground-based telescopes like the VLT, scientists can map the weather systems of worlds hundreds of light-years away.Interestingly, this level of precision is not yet achievable with space telescopes like the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). Ground-based facilities like the VLT remain essential for detecting fine details such as wind speeds and atmospheric composition.David Cont, a researcher from Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, highlighted the broader significance of these findings:“Understanding the dynamics of these exoplanets helps us explore mechanisms such as heat redistribution and chemical processes, improving our understanding of planet formation and potentially shedding light on the origins of our own Solar System.”Got a reaction? Share your thoughts in the commentsEnjoyed this article? Subscribe to our free newsletter for engaging stories, exclusive content, and the latest news.Comment Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

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