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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Science
Hannah Devlin Science correspondent

Planet where it rains sand revealed by Nasa telescope

The fluffy atmosphere of Wasp-107b where astronomers discovered sand clouds.
The fluffy atmosphere of Wasp-107b where astronomers discovered sand clouds. Photograph: Klaas Verpoest/Johan van Looveren/LUCA School of Arts/KU Leuven/PA

Nasa’s James Webb space telescope has revealed a planet where specks of sand fall as rain, in groundbreaking observations.

The planet, Wasp-107b, lies 200 light years away in the Virgo constellation and had already caught the attention of astronomers because it is very large but very light, earning it the nickname the “candy floss” planet. The latest observations give an unprecedented glimpse of a strange and exotic world beyond our solar system that features silicate sand clouds and rain, scorching temperatures, raging winds and the distinct burnt-matches scent of sulphur dioxide.

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