The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has recorded the distinct signature of water, along with proof of clouds and haze, in the atmosphere of a hot, puffy gas giant planet orbiting a distant Sun-like star.
- The observation, which is the most comprehensive of its sort to date, highlights Webb’s unmatched capacity to study distant atmospheres.
- The detailed observation marks a beginning in the endeavor to characterize distant planets that may support life.
NASA is the civil space program of the United States of America (USA) and the world leader in space exploration.
Note: Over the past 20 years, the Hubble Space Telescope has examined the atmospheres of several exoplanets. In 2013, it made the first definitive detection of water.
Description of the Exoplanet WASP-96 b
i. WASP-96 b is one of over 5,000 verified exoplanets in the Milky Way, which can be found 1,150 light-years away in the southern-sky constellation Phoenix. It represents a certain class of gas giant that lacks a direct analog in our solar system.
- WASP-96 b is much puffier than any planet orbiting the Sun, with a mass less than half that of Jupiter and a diameter 1.2 times larger. Additionally, it is much hotter, with a temperature of above 1000°F.
- It orbits extremely close to its Sun-like star at just one-ninth of the distance between Mercury and the Sun, completing one circuit every 3½ Earth-days.
ii.WASP-96b is the perfect target for atmospheric observations due to its massive size, short orbital period, puffy atmosphere, and lack of contaminating light from surrounding celestial objects.
Observations from WASP-96 b
i. The WASP-96 system was observed by Webb’s Near-Infrared Imager and Slitless Spectrograph (NIRISS) on June 21, 2022, for 6.4 hours as the planet moved across the star, which led to the creation of a light curve.
- The light curve confirmed the planet’s existence, size, and orbit, all of which had already been determined by other observations.
ii.The transmission spectrum unveiled the previously unknown characteristics of the atmosphere, including the clear signature of water, indications of haze, and proof of clouds that were previously believed to be nonexistent based on earlier observations.
iii. In addition to being the most accurate near-infrared transmission spectrum of an exoplanet’s atmosphere ever recorded, WASP-96 b’s spectrum spans a remarkably wide range of wavelengths, including visible red light and a portion of the spectrum that has never before been accessible from other telescopes.
- This part of the spectrum is particularly sensitive to water, as well as other key molecules such as oxygen, methane, and carbon dioxide.
Significance
- The spectrum will enable researchers to measure the amount of water vapour in the atmosphere, constrain the abundance of various elements like carbon and oxygen, and calculate the temperature of the atmosphere with depth.
- They can then use this data to determine the planet’s overall composition, as well as how, when, and where it formed.
NASA’s Webb Reveals Cosmic Cliffs, Glittering Landscape of Star Birth
NASA has released more images captured by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) as well as data regarding a distant planet’s atmosphere.
- The galaxy cluster SMACS 0723, commonly known as Webb’s First Deep Field, was visible in the first image that was released.
- The image was created using a composite of several images captured at various wavelengths, using images captured by the Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam).
NASA also released images of the Southern Ring Nebula, Stephen’s Quintet, WASP-96 b (spectrum data), and Carina Nebula.
i. The Southern Ring Nebula image captured the “final performance” of a dying star.
ii.The image of Stephan’s Quintet, the largest image captured by Webb sofar,unveils new details on the evolution of galaxies and black holes, with the galaxies in a “galactic dance” or cosmic proportions with each other.
- Although they are collectively referred to as a quintet, only four of the galaxies are actually in close vicinity and engaged in a “cosmic dance”. Compared to the other four, the galaxy on the left is clearly in the foreground.
iii. For the first time, WASP-96B’s spectrum data confirmed the presence of water vapour on the distant exoplanet.
iv.The last and final image released by NASA illustrates the star-forming region NGC 3324 in the Carina Nebula with its sparkling star-studded “mountains” and “valleys”. It was taken in infrared for the first time by Webb and showed previously invisible areas of star birth.
NASA Releases Photos of Jupiter Showing Its Rings, Moons Taken by Webb
An astonishing view of Jupiter, its moons, and even its rings has been revealed by NASA in a snapshot taken by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). The image was captured by the telescope’s NIRCam.
- The image was part of the Webb data made available on the Mikulski Archive for Space Telescopes of the Space Telescope Science Institute.
It also displayed delicate rings that were captured to test the telescope’s instruments before science operations officially began on July 12, 2022.
About James Webb Space Telescope
- The James Webb Space Telescope is the world’s leading observatory for space science.
- Webb is a NASA-led international program with partners European Space Agency (ESA) and Canadian Space Agency (CSA).
- The CSA has contributed the Near-Infrared Imager and Slitless Spectrograph (NIRISS).
