For the first time, the James Webb Space Telescope has provided humanity with a direct image of a gigantic exoplanet.
Utilizing the James Webb Space Telescope, developed and primarily operated by NASA, scientists have discovered a new planet classified as a “super Jupiter,” named Epsilon Indi Ab.
Even more astonishing, it has delivered a direct image completely separate from its parent star, a feat that no other space telescope has accomplished.
The exoplanet Epsilon Indi Ab is captured through the lenses of two different cameras on the James Webb, with its parent star marked by a yellow star icon for distinction – (Image: MPIA).
According to Science Alert, this newly discovered world is significantly colder than any giant gas planet previously found or studied by James Webb.
Epsilon Indi Ab orbits its star at a distance comparable to that between Neptune and the Sun.
Moreover, a year on this planet is equivalent to 200 Earth years, meaning it takes 200 years to complete one orbit around its parent star.
Graphic depiction of the giant exoplanet and its distant parent star – (Image: MPIA).
According to a team led by astronomer Elisabeth Matthews from the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy (MPIA) in Germany, this makes the super Jupiter a rare treasure among exoplanets.
It may also signify the beginning of a new era in exoplanet science.
Referred to as a super Jupiter because it is a giant gas planet similar to Jupiter, but significantly larger in size and mass.
This makes our Earth seem incredibly small in comparison. For reference, Jupiter’s mass is 318 times that of Earth.
Another real image of Epsilon Indi Ab – (Image: MPIA).
The parent star of Epsilon Indi Ab, Epsilon Indi A, is a orange dwarf star in a triple star system located just 12 light years from Earth.
During long-term observations, astronomers noticed that Epsilon Indi A exhibits somewhat peculiar behavior.
It appears to be moving as if pulled by gravitational forces, not by either of the two other stars in its system, but by a giant world orbiting that very star. This led them to search for and discover the aforementioned super planet.
The Max Planck team’s research has only just begun with the discovery of Epsilon Indi Ab.
With the remarkable advantage of the James Webb being able to “see” and capture this planet directly, scientists hope to explore it in greater detail than any exoplanet known so far.
Previously, there have been exoplanets captured by ground telescopes, but they were much less distinct compared to the stunning images from James Webb.
