Artist’s illustration of temperature inversion in exoplanet’s atmosphere
NASA scientists detected a stratosphere on WASP-33b by measuring the drop in light as the planet passed behind its star (top). Temperatures in the low stratosphere rise (right) because of molecules absorbing radiation from the star; otherwise, temperatures would cool down at higher altitudes (left).
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Credit:
NASA/ESA and The Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)
NASA/ESA and The Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)