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Space

Space: short, sourced explainers from Time Travel Leap.

JWST mapped a planet's atmosphere all the way around its edge

Infographic: a gold hexagonal telescope mirror labeled JWST, the planet WASP-17 b with a ring around its edge (gray on the morning side, orange on the evening side) and its star. Panels explain that the team read starlight through the planet's edge in JWST data from 0.6 to 12 micrometers, that the evening edge runs about 650 K hotter than the morning edge while water and carbon dioxide levels stayed constant and that the map gives climate models real constraints. Cards: about 650 K difference, morning edge about 860 K (plus 434 or minus 233 K), evening edge about 1,520 K (plus or minus about 115 K). Banner: the morning value carries a wide uncertainty. Source: Nature Astronomy, Oct. 14, 2026.

The evening side of the hot Jupiter WASP-17 b turned out to be about 650 K hotter than its morning side. (Image: SI illustration)

Nature Astronomy · Oct. 14, 2026