NASA's James Webb Space Telescope uncovers mysterious ‘climate system' on Pluto regulated by strange blue haze
Source: Live Science
NASA
's
James Webb Space Telescope
is again on its way to expand the understanding of the outer solar system. And this time, the explanation on its dwarf planet
Pluto
that keeps defying expectations. Nearly a decade earlier, NASA's
New Horizons spacecraft
shattered the notion of the upended assumptions about Pluto's lifelessness, where new data revealed by JWST confirms something extraordinary. One of the biggest surprises which floated above all is Pluto's blueish haze, which isn't just a visual marvel but actively regulates the planet's climate. With James Webb Space Telescope data-gathering in full swing, astronomers hope to study other hazy bodies in the solar system and beyond. The success of this Pluto study may lead to new models of climate formation on exoplanets with thick, layered atmospheres.
NASA's James Webb Space Telescope uncovers Pluto's mysterious climate system
When NASA's New Horizons spacecraft flew past Pluto in 2015, it shattered the image of Pluto as a dull, frozen rock. Instead, it unveiled a dynamic world marked by vast icy plains, mountain ranges made of water ice, and most intriguingly, a bluish, multi-layered haze that enveloped the planet.
This haze extended more than 185 miles (300 km) above Pluto's surface, surprising scientists with its complexity and reach. The discovery hinted that Pluto might have a more active atmosphere than previously believed — but at the time, its true impact remained uncertain.
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Pluto's haze role in climate regulation revealed
Astronomers have now confirmed that Pluto's haze does more than decorate the sky, dedicatedly thanks to the infrared capabilities of JWST. This significantly cools the atmosphere. According to a study published in Nature Astronomy on June 2, this haze absorbs sunlight during the day and releases it as infrared radiation at night, effectively regulating the dwarf planet's temperature. 'This is unique in the solar system,' said Tanguy Bertrand, the study's lead author and an astronomer at the Paris Observatory. 'It's a new kind of climate.'
Pluto's haze composition
Pluto's haze is composed of complex organic molecules known as tholins, which form when ultraviolet sunlight breaks down methane and nitrogen in the upper atmosphere. These particles then clump together into tiny haze layers that can trap and release heat.
Back in 2017, planetary scientists proposed that this haze might be behind Pluto's unusually cold upper atmosphere measured at about -333°F (-203°C), or roughly 30 degrees cooler than models based on gas-only atmospheres had predicted. The idea was compelling, but proving it was another matter entirely.
James Webb Space Telescope confirms Pluto's climate theory by separating signals from its Moon
One major challenge in confirming the theory was Charon, Pluto's large moon, which orbits so closely that its thermal signal overlaps with Pluto's in most telescope data. This made it nearly impossible to isolate the haze's specific thermal impact. That changed with James Webb Space Telescope. In 2022, its superior infrared resolution allowed researchers to separate the emissions from Pluto and Charon. What they found confirmed the 2017 hypothesis: Pluto's mid-infrared brightness which is caused by its haze and perfectly matched earlier predictions.
'In planetary science, it's not common to have a hypothesis confirmed so quickly,' said Xi Zhang, who led the 2017 study. 'We feel pretty lucky and very excited.'
What Pluto's skies reveal about the origins of life on Earth
The discovery isn't just a milestone for understanding Pluto but it also opens up new possibilities for studying other hazy celestial bodies. Moons like Titan (Saturn) and Triton (Neptune) are shrouded in their own thick hazes and may exhibit similar atmospheric behaviors.
Researchers even suggest that early Earth might have once resembled Pluto. Before oxygen filled our skies, Earth may have had a tholin-rich haze that acted like an insulating blanket, helping stabilize the climate and create conditions that allowed life to evolve. 'By studying Pluto's haze and chemistry,' Zhang said, 'we might get new insights into the conditions that made early Earth habitable.'
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