NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has discovered a planet with "sand falling like raindrops".
The media reports that the planet Wasp-107b lies 200 light years away, has scorching temperatures, strong winds, is very large but "very light".
The planet was discovered in 2017, but James Webb took research to the next level by measuring the starlight that filters through the planet's atmosphere.
Because different elements absorb different wavelengths of light, the spectrum of starlight indicates which gases are present.
Its "large and diffuse" nature is said to have allowed the James Webb telescope to peer deep into its atmosphere.
"We've been working on predictions for the last 10 years, but nothing has fully prepared us for what we're actually seeing," said Dr Joanna Barstow, a planetary scientist.
It is the first time that the chemical composition of clouds on another planet has been identified - in this case, "silicate sand".
And the level of detail being obtained from targets like Wasp-107b is seen as an encouraging sign.
"The universe has so many surprises, I think there may be different alternative ways for life to form on another planet. It can be very different from life on earth," said Decin.
Otherwise, the media point out, a central goal of the James space telescope is to analyze the atmospheres of distant planets and search for gases that could indicate the presence of life.
However, Wasp-107b is not considered a likely candidate, given its 1000 degree Celsius climate and lack of a solid surface. /Telegrafi/
