Astronomers have identified a supersonic jetstream on the exoplanet WASP-127b, with winds reaching 20,500 mph (33,000 km/h), making it the fastest planetary gusts recorded to date.
Located approximately 500 light-years from Earth, WASP-127b is a gas giant larger than Jupiter but significantly less massive. The study, published on January 21 in Astronomy and Astrophysics, reveals that the jetstream circulates around the planet's equator.
Utilizing data from the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope (VLT) in Chile, researchers measured the jetstream's speed by analyzing the motion of the planet's atmosphere. Lead author Lisa Nortmann from the University of Göttingen noted that parts of the atmosphere move toward and away from Earth at high velocities, indicating a fast jet wind.
The jetstream's winds travel at 5.6 miles per second (9 kilometers per second), approximately 130 times faster than a Category 5 hurricane and 18 times faster than Neptune's fastest jetstream, which reaches 1,100 mph (1,800 km/h).
This jetstream moves six times faster than the exoplanet's rotation. Researchers also analyzed the atmospheric composition, discovering water vapor and carbon dioxide, though these compounds do not confirm the presence of extraterrestrial life.
Temperature data indicated colder polar regions and slight variations between day and night temperatures, suggesting complex weather patterns similar to those on Earth. Current ground-based telescopes like the VLT are essential for measuring distant planetary winds, as orbital observatories lack the necessary precision.
Future telescopes, such as the Extremely Large Telescope, are expected to provide even more detailed insights into wind patterns on gas giants and potentially smaller rocky planets.