Astronomers have discovered salty clouds on GJ504b, a distant celestial body 57 light-years away, known for its pink hue and cold temperatures. This object, possibly a planetary-mass companion rather than a planet, is about 25 times the mass of Jupiter. Its faint glow has made it difficult to study, but the James Webb Space Telescope has provided new insights. Researchers found that GJ504b’s atmosphere contains heavy elements like carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, and sulfur, likely in compounds such as water vapor and methane. Initially, models showed an implausible isothermal region in the atmosphere, but adding salty clouds to the model resolved this anomaly. These clouds may contain chloride and sulfide salts. GJ504b is estimated to be between 2.5 and 4 billion years old, explaining its cooler temperature compared to other exoplanets.
QUESTION: How might the discovery of salty clouds on GJ504b influence our understanding of atmospheric conditions on other distant celestial bodies?
Salty clouds discovered on pink puffball planet
