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A Quirk of Light Has Revealed The Weirdest Planetary System Yet

The article from Yahoo News discusses a unique astronomical phenomenon observed by the James Webb Space Telescope, revealing the "weirdest" planetary system yet discovered, known as TRAPPIST-1. This system, located about 40 light-years from Earth, consists of seven Earth-sized planets orbiting an ultracool dwarf star. The peculiarity of TRAPPIST-1 lies in the synchronized orbits of its planets, which are tidally locked, meaning one side perpetually faces the star while the other remains in darkness. This setup results in extreme temperature differences between the planets' day and night sides. The James Webb Space Telescope's observations have provided new insights into the atmospheric compositions and potential habitability of these planets, challenging previous assumptions about planetary systems and their potential to harbor life.

Read the Full ScienceAlert Article at:
[ https://www.yahoo.com/news/quirk-light-revealed-weirdest-planetary-180026184.html ]