Discovering exoplanets was once a monumental challenge, with scientists achieving incredible feats such as identifying black holes, detecting radiation from the Big Bang, and capturing images of distant galaxies before finally locating the first exoplanet outside our solar system in 1992. Many exoplanet astronomers embarked on their careers long before the field of exoplanet astronomy even existed.
However, the James Webb Space Telescope is revolutionizing the study of exoplanets by providing stunning new insights (SN: 10/6/21). Launched at the end of 2021, scientists are utilizing this telescope to analyze the atmospheres of a wide range of worlds, from massive gas giants to rocky planets similar in size to Earth.
As an exoplanet orbits its host star, the star’s light passes through the planet’s atmosphere, with specific gases absorbing light at distinct wavelengths. This absorption leaves unique signatures in the starlight spectrum, enabling scientists to identify the gases present. The JWST is particularly adept at detecting these signatures in the infrared spectrum, where they are most pronounced, and has already identified water, carbon dioxide, methane, and other compounds on distant planets.
Based on these discoveries, Laura Kreidberg from the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy in Heidelberg, Germany, frequently receives inquiries about the potential revelations that the JWST may uncover.
2024-06-07 08:00:00
Source: www.sciencenews.org