EPISODE · Jun 17, 2026 · 4 MIN
Extreme Weather and Gemstone Rain on WASP-121b
from Intellectually Curious · host Mike Breault
A deep dive into WASP-121b, the ultra-hot Jupiter where the dayside vaporizes metals and liquid ruby rain falls on the night side. Using JWST transit spectroscopy, we read a chemical barcode in starlight to map atmospheric temperature and composition, revealing winds up to 11,000 mph driven by dramatic day–night heating. We explore how the morning and evening terminators are defined by transit geometry on a tidally locked world, why silicate clouds form near the night side, and what these observations tell us about exoplanetary weather and the future of atmospheric mapping beyond our solar system.Note: This podcast was AI-generated, and sometimes AI can make mistakes. Please double-check any critical information.Sponsored by Embersilk LLC
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A deep dive into WASP-121b, the ultra-hot Jupiter where the dayside vaporizes metals and liquid ruby rain falls on the night side. Using JWST transit spectroscopy, we read a chemical barcode in starlight to map atmospheric temperature and composition, revealing winds up to 11,000 mph driven by dramatic day–night heating. We explore how the morning and evening terminators are defined by transit geometry on a tidally locked world, why silicate clouds form near the night side, and what these obs...
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Extreme Weather and Gemstone Rain on WASP-121b
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