Water Clouds Tentatively Detected Just 7 Light-Years from Earth

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Astronomers have detected water ice clouds on a brown dwarf located 7.3 light-years from Earth, marking the first observation of water clouds beyond our solar system. This discovery, which is less than twice the distance of Alpha Centauri, provides significant insights into the characteristics of cool giant planets orbiting other stars. The findings contribute to our understanding of planetary atmospheres and the potential for similar phenomena in exoplanetary systems.

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They're the first water clouds ever seen beyond our solar system

by Ken Croswell, author of The Alchemy of the Heavens: Searching for Meaning in the Milky Way

Astronomers have found signs of water ice clouds on an object just 7.3 light-years from Earth—less than twice the distance of Alpha Centauri, the nearest star system to the sun. If confirmed, the discovery is the first sighting of water clouds beyond our solar system. The clouds shroud a Jupiter-sized object known as a brown dwarf and should yield insight into the nature of cool giant planets orbiting other suns.

Link: Science
 
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