WASP-121b Exoplanet | 27 Feb 2025

Source: Earth 

Astronomers have mapped the 3D atmosphere of exoplanet WASP-121b (Tylos), located 900 light-years away, using the ESO’s VL Telescope, revealing complex weather patterns and chemical composition. 

WASP-121b (Tylos): 

• It is a gas giant exoplanet discovered in 2016, orbiting the yellow-white F-type star WASP-121.  
  • It has a size 1.87 times that of Jupiter and a mass 1.18 times greater. 
• Type: It is an ultra-hot Jupiter (a gas giant orbiting its host star very closely), with an orbital period of just 30 Earth hours. 

Key Findings: 

• Extreme Climate Conditions: WASP-121b has extreme temperature contrasts due to tidal locking, with one hemisphere scorched and the other cooler, driving dynamic atmospheric patterns. 
• Jet Streams and Wind Patterns: Powerful jet streams and winds with speeds, creating distinct atmospheric flows. 
• Chemical Composition: Its atmosphere comprises iron, sodium, hydrogen, and titanium, with 3 distinct layers: iron winds at the base, a fast sodium jet stream, and hydrogen winds at the top, shaping its unique climate.