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Inverse
Inverse
Science
Kiona Smith

EXPLAINED: This eerily lopsided planet has weather that technically shouldn t exist | Rare Historical Photos

Rachel Amaro

The atmosphere of gas planet WASP-107b is a bit lopsided, and that could teach astronomers something new about alien weather.

WASP-107b is a strikingly fluffy planet, only about a tenth as dense as Jupiter. It also turns out to be slightly lopsided; the planet’s atmosphere is a few hundred miles taller on one side than the other. Astronomers have seen this slight unevenness on hot Jupiters (gas giants that orbit very close to their stars, basking in the scorching heat) before, but it shouldn’t be possible for WASP-107b — technically, the planet is too cool for that.

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