ATOMIKS: no mne pak doslo, ze sem to tu vlastne mohl nechat, protoze se to tyka tematu :) tak znovu
For the first time, scientists have confirmed that Pluto’s atmosphere is unlike anything else in the Solar System—thanks to stunning new observations by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST).
While hazes in planetary atmospheres aren't new (think Titan), what’s remarkable about Pluto is how these haze particles dominate its entire atmospheric energy balance. Instead of gas molecules controlling heat flow, as on other planets, Pluto’s haze particles absorb sunlight, heat up, then radiate that energy away, effectively managing the planet's temperature.
This idea, once called "crazy" by its original proposer, Xi Zhang, has now been proven true—making it a rare and rapid scientific confirmation in planetary science. JWST’s MIRI instrument detected strong mid-infrared radiation emitted by these hazes in both 2022 and 2023, confirming they’re actively influencing Pluto’s climate.
Pluto also shows extreme seasonal activity: ices of nitrogen and methane migrate across its surface and even transfer material to its moon, Charon—something seen nowhere else. These discoveries not only deepen our understanding of Pluto but may also offer clues about the early Earth's atmosphere and even haze-rich worlds like Titan and Triton.
Pluto isn't just distant—it's unlike anything we've seen before.
RESEARCH PAPER: Tanguy Bertrand et al, "Evidence of haze control of Pluto’s atmospheric heat balance from JWST/MIRI thermal light curves", Nature Astronomy (2025)