Stories
James Webb Telescope discovers water clouds beyond solar system for the first time
N
News18•10-10-2026, 22:33
James Webb Telescope discovers water clouds beyond solar system for the first time
- •Astronomers have detected water clouds outside our solar system for the first time using the James Webb Space Telescope.
- •The celestial body, named WISE 0855, is located 7.5 light-years away from Earth and is similar in size to Jupiter.
- •Researchers found that the weather on WISE 0855 mimics Earth's weather cycle, with water clouds changing in thickness over time.
- •The brown dwarf has a freezing temperature of around minus 8 degrees Celsius, making it colder than Earth's surface.
- •Advanced spectroscopy allowed scientists to detect minute atmospheric changes and chemical gases like carbon monoxide and phosphine.
Key Questions Answered
The astronomical body discovered 7.5 light-years away from Earth has been named WISE 0855.
Researchers studied the cold brown dwarf WISE 0855 for 11 hours, taking its light spectrum every 15 minutes to reveal that water clouds change thickness over time.
The temperature of the cold brown dwarf WISE 0855 hovers around minus 8 degrees Celsius, which is colder than Earth's surface.
