WASP-121b: 96,480 km/h Winds and Vaporized Metals Mapped

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Scientists have discovered extreme weather on exoplanet WASP-121b, 900 light-years away.

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Winds on the planet reach an astonishing 70,000 km/h, the fastest ever recorded.

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Using telescopes in Chile, researchers created the first 3D map of an exoplanet's atmosphere.

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WASP-121b's atmosphere has layers with vaporized iron, sodium jet streams, and escaping hydrogen.

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The planet orbits its star in just 30 hours, heating up to 2,500°C—hot enough to melt iron.

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Researchers detected titanium in the atmosphere, hidden in deeper layers.

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The ESPRESSO instrument on the Very Large Telescope helped detect these chemical elements.

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The findings were published in Nature, advancing exoplanetary science.

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This discovery shows how advanced telescopes are revolutionizing space exploration.

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Each exoplanet study brings us closer to understanding planets beyond our solar system.

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