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4w ago

James Webb Telescope Captures Neptune's Auroras for the First Time

The groundbreaking images reveal mid-latitude auroras and significant atmospheric cooling, completing auroral observations across all giant planets.

Image
The James Webb Space Telescope captured the first images of Neptune's auroras.
Neptune as captured by NASA’s Voyager 2.

Overview

  • NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has provided the first-ever direct images of Neptune's auroras, captured using its Near-Infrared Spectrograph in June 2023.
  • The auroras were found at Neptune's mid-latitudes, rather than the poles, due to its unusually tilted magnetic field, which is offset by 47 degrees from its rotational axis.
  • Astronomers detected the molecule H3+, a key indicator of auroral activity, and measured a dramatic cooling of Neptune's upper atmosphere since the Voyager 2 flyby in 1989.
  • The findings mark the completion of auroral observations on all giant planets in the solar system and open new avenues for studying Neptune's magnetic field and atmospheric dynamics.
  • Researchers plan to use Webb to study Neptune over a full 11-year solar cycle, aiming to deepen understanding of its unique magnetic properties and atmospheric behavior.