Exoplanet Similar to Jupiter Can Be Seen Directly From Space

The James Webb Space Telescope, the largest telescope in space, has discovered a very special new planet that is similar in size to Jupiter but weighs six times as much, says Rob van den Bergh of the Sonnenburg Observatory. It is a unique discovery. “So we hope to be able to discover more planets like this, and learn more about what is happening outside our solar system.”

Because the planet is relatively close, about 12 light-years away, van den Berg was also able to see the atmosphere with a telescope. Exoplanets, which are planets in other solar systems, are usually discovered by flying in front of the star. “Then you see flashes in the starlight, but this has been observed directly.” Only a very few exoplanets have been directly imaged so far.

Innovative technology

The James Webb Space Telescope has been flying through space since the end of 2021, and it was also built with Dutch parts. Smart technology was used to see the planet. “They had to create an artificial solar eclipse in the telescope by hiding the sun. Then the planet became visible.

The “super-Jupiter” takes 250 years to orbit its star. “Given our distance from the star, the planet is probably very cold,” says van den Berg. The planet orbits the star Epsilon Indi A, which is about the same age as the sun but radiates less heat. Life is not possible on the planet. “It’s not the right distance from the star to have liquid water.”

However, according to van den Berg, the planet is an interesting discovery from a scientific point of view, “We can’t go there, but so far we only know our own solar system very well.” Observations from the James Webb Telescope “give us a good picture of our backyard.”