This Famously Pink Planet Is Hiding a Surprising Secret
Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope have discovered evidence of salt clouds on the gas giant GJ 504 b. This finding provides new insights into the chemical composition of the unusually cool, magenta-tinted planetary-mass companion.
Why it matters
This discovery demonstrates the power of the James Webb Space Telescope to analyze the atmospheres of distant, faint objects that were previously impossible to study.
GJ 504 b, which NASA calls a “ puffy pink planet ,” shares two out of three catchphrases with Kirby . But unlike the video game character, the giant planet is cold, faint, and, as a new study has found, probably salty.
The article is a straightforward report on scientific findings without political or social commentary.
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