In 2020, astronomers detected WD 1856+534 bA gas giant orbiting a star 81 light-year-old from Earth. Its mass about six times more than Jupiter (which becomes “Super Jupiter”) was the first passing planet known to orbit the star of the white d (WD).
in Recent papersan international team of astronomers, Mid-infrared instrument (Milli) James Webbspace Telescope (JWST). Their observation confirmed that WD 1856+534 B is the coldest skin procedure ever observed.
Research is led Mary Anne Limbacha research scientist in the Department of Astronomy at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
She has been joined by researchers from the Kabli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research at MIT, and the Institute of Applied Physics (JHUAPL) at Johns Hopkins University. Observatory.
Their observation was part of the JWST Cycle 3 General Observations (GO) Program. It aims to directly characterize planets using Webb’s sophisticated infrared optics and spectrometers.
This is in line with one of JWST’s mission goals. this is, Direct Imaging Method. This consists of observing light reflected from the surface of an exoplanet or the atmosphere and examining it with a spectrometer to search for a chemical signature.
This allows astronomers to determine the presence of potential biological signatures (such as oxygen, nitrogen, methane, water) and to infer details about the formation and composition of the planet.
Using advanced next-generation telescopes like JWST, this method could lead to the first conclusive evidence of life beyond the solar system.
Emission spectra from these planets can also reveal details about the planet’s composition and movement history. However, as the authors point out, detecting light directly from deplanets remains challenging due to the overwhelming obscure light from the host star.
As a result, directional imaging is largely limited to giant planets (e.g., gas giants) with wide orbits or very high atmospheric temperatures. On the other hand, no terrestrial (or rock-like) exoplanets orbiting near stars have been observed.
Additionally, there are no emission spectral coolers discharge plugs – comparable to Earth – than 275 K (1.85°C; 35.33°F) – and there are also observations. WD Stars offer unique opportunities to detect and characterize cold planets. As the team noted:
“The low luminosity of WDS significantly reduces the contrast challenges that normally hinder direct detection around the counterparts of the main sequence. The evolutionary remnants of stars like the sun provide insight into the fate of the planetary system after the death of the star.
Furthermore, investigating the WD planetary system can shed light on whether a planet can withstand this late stage of stellar evolution, providing insight into whether conditions present can exist around the remains of the star.
Astronomers and astrobiologists want to use Webb’s capabilities to investigate these mysteries. For their research, Limbach and her colleagues confirmed the presence of WD 1856+534 B using an infrared (IR) over-method using data from the JWST Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI).
This allowed us to limit the mass of WD 1856+534 B and measure its atmospheric temperature. Their analysis revealed an average temperature of 186 K (-87°C; -125°F), making WD 1856+534 B the coldest exoplanet ever detected.
They further confirmed that previous observations produced an estimate of Jupiter’s mass of 13.8, whereas exoplanets have more than six times the mass of Jupiter. Their results also constitute the first direct confirmation that the planet can survive and travel into a proximate orbit near the habitable zone of the WDS.
The team is looking forward to further observations of the WD 1856 B by JWST, scheduled for 2025.
Additionally, the results of previous observations made by Webb’s Near Infrared Spectronomicer (NIRSPEC) in Cycle 1 will be released soon. These provide early characterization of the planet’s atmosphere.
This article was originally published Today’s Space. Please read Original article.
