Science

Discovery marks the first detection of variable water clouds outside of the solar system

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Briefings

A team led by Brittany Miles using the James Webb Space Telescope successfully detected variable water clouds on WISE 0855, a Jupiter-sized brown dwarf 7.5 light-years away. The study, conducted over 11 hours with 15-minute spectral intervals, revealed complex chemistry and water vapor signatures, suggesting the object is chemically rich and potentially habitable. This marks the first such detection outside our solar system. The research was published in October 2026, and while the team confirmed the presence of water clouds, the specific chemical composition and atmospheric dynamics remain partially unexplored due to the limited spectral resolution of the initial observation.

Key points

• The James Webb Space Telescope detected variable water clouds on WISE 0855, a Jupiter-sized brown dwarf located 7.5 light-years from Earth.
• The analysis involved 11 hours of observation with 15-minute spectral intervals, revealing complex chemistry and water vapor signatures.

Context and limitations

The initial detection focused on variable water clouds; the specific chemical composition of the atmosphere and the full extent of the cloud layer remain partially unexplored due to the limited spectral resolution of the initial observation.

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