James Webb telescope spots young exoplanet in distant dust disc
For the first time ever, the telescope has directly imaged a lightweight exoplanet forming in a cosmic dust ring
A young planet is making waves in the cosmos — quite literally. Astronomers have spotted a baby gas giant, TWA 7b, ploughing through a glowing ring of dust 110 light years from Earth.
Captured by the James Webb Space Telescope, this is not only its first exoplanet discovery but also the lightest planet ever seen through direct imaging. And it is putting on a spectacular show.
What makes this discovery extraordinary is not only the planet's small mass, but also its setting. TWA 7b is nestled inside one of three glowing dust rings that orbit the star CE Antilae, a sun barely six million years old. These rings have long puzzled scientists, as they show patterns that hinted at hidden planets shaping the material from within. Now, thanks to James Webb telescopes' powerful vision, we can see one such world carving its path in real time.
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Capturing the image was no small feat. Planets like TWA 7b are much fainter than their stars and often get lost in the glare. To solve this, astronomers used a special device called a coronagraph. It blocks the blinding starlight, much like an eclipse, allowing the planet's warm glow to emerge.
Dr Anne-Marie Lagrange, who led the research, said this offers a rare look into a planetary system still in its infancy. With its ability to detect faint, young worlds, the James Webb telescope may soon uncover many more hidden planets in the dusty corners of the galaxy.
The research has been published in Nature and it is said to be a bold step into a new era of planetary discovery.
