The planet researchers spotted with the Webb telescope is WASP-39 b, a gas giant orbiting a star 700 light-years away. In 2018, through the Hubble and Spitzer telescopes, NASA detected a large amount of water vapor on the planet along with traces of sodium and potassium. At about a quarter of Jupiter’s mass, but 1.3 times the size of Jupiter, scientists have described the exoplanet as a “hot Saturn.” With JWST, researchers now have access to more powerful and sensitive infrared capabilities and were also able to pick up the signature of carbon dioxide. The detection of WASP-39b is part of JWST’s exoplanet observation campaign. The effort is part of the Early Release Science program, which is designed to provide the exoplanet research community with robust Webb data as soon as possible. Tweet may have been deleted (opens in new tab) “As soon as the data appeared on my screen, the huge feature of carbon dioxide grabbed me,” Zafar Rustamkulov, a graduate student at Johns Hopkins University and a member of the JWST Transiting Exoplanet Community Early Release Science team, said in the NASA statement. it was a special moment, crossing an important threshold in exoplanet science.” SEE ALSO: Scientists discover colossal ocean may completely cover this planet The discovery was made using Webb’s NIRSpec instrumenta highly sensitive spectrograph that can separate light rays into individual components of the light spectrum. Planetary scientists hope to also observe the atmospheres of smaller, rocky Earth-sized planets using the powerful Webb Telescope. Who knows what they’ll find.
