Astronomers have developed a method for tracking weather patterns on planets outside our solar system, according to The Naked Scientists. The work points to a way of checking conditions on these distant worlds, Universe Today reports.
Phys.org reports that one such planet, located roughly 20 light-years away, shows weather that appears surprisingly organized and similar in character to Jupiter's. The three outlets covered the findings on Friday.
The reports describe a technique for observing atmospheric behavior on exoplanets — planets that orbit stars other than the Sun. Because these worlds are so far away, studying their weather has long been a challenge, and the new approach is presented as a way to examine it directly.
The Jupiter-like planet stands out in the coverage for the structure of its weather, which Phys.org describes as more orderly than might be expected. The reports do not detail the specific instruments or methods used, and no further technical specifics were available in the material reviewed.
What to watch next: whether the same approach can be applied to a wider range of exoplanets, and what follow-up observations reveal about how common organized weather systems are beyond our solar system.
