News Astronomy

A shadowy birthplace may explain Jupiter’s strange chemistry

A frigid planetary nursery could account for the gas giant’s peculiar atmospheric composition

the planet Jupiter

Jupiter’s atmosphere has abundant nitrogen, argon, krypton and xenon, suggesting that the giant planet formed in a very cold place.

NASA, ESA, A. Simon/GSFC, M.H. Wong/UCB

By Ken Croswell

- More than 2 years ago

Read another version of this article at Science News Explores

Jupiter may have formed in a shadow that kept the planet’s birthplace colder than Pluto.