Exoplanet VHS 1256 b and its stars (illustration)

This illustration conceptualises the swirling clouds identified by the James Webb Space Telescope in the atmosphere of the exoplanet VHS 1256 b. The planet is about 40 light-years away and orbits two stars that are locked in their own tight rotation. Its clouds, which are filled with silicate dust, are constantly rising, mixing, and moving during its 22-hour day.

[Image Description: Illustration of a planet. The background is black, darkest at the left edge, with light streaming from a small pair of stars at right. The planet is at left in deep orange and contains several stripes. The brightest stripes lie in the top and bottom thirds. A small circular oval representing a large storm appears toward the top left. The right edge of the planet (the side facing the star) is lit, while the rest is largely in shadow.]