The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has once again changed our understanding of Pluto. Research has confirmed that the high-altitude haze of the dwarf planet is not just a spectacular sight, but a key regulator of its extreme climate. This feature makes Pluto a unique object in our Solar System. The discovery was published in the journal Nature Astronomy.
Back in 2015, NASA’s New Horizons probe discovered a blue, multi-layered haze over Pluto that was more than 300 km high — much higher and more complex than scientists had expected. Now, JWST’s infrared instruments have proven that this haze, formed by tiny organic particles, actively influences the planet.
“This is a completely new type of climate,” explains Tanguy Bertrand of the Paris Observatory, who led the study. Particles of haze absorb sunlight during the day and emit it into space at night in the form of infrared energy. This “cooling mechanism” sharply reduces the temperature of the atmosphere. This is why Pluto’s upper layers are 30°C colder (–203°C) than models predicted.
Pluto’s neighbor, the large moon Charon, long prevented verification of this theory, which was first proposed in 2017. Their thermal signals were superimposed during telescope observations. However, the power of JWST made it possible to clearly separate the radiation from both bodies for the first time. It turned out that the weak infrared glow of the fog was completely consistent with the forecasts.
“In planetary science, hypotheses are rarely confirmed so quickly — in just a few years,” admits Xi Zhang of the University of California, leader of the previous study.
Similar processes may occur on other “hazy” objects in the Solar System, and also provide clues about the climate of early Earth. Pluto, once considered a dead ice ball, continues to surprise us with its complexity and influence on our understanding of the Universe.
Previously, we explained why Pluto is no longer considered a planet.According to Space
