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Webb Telescope Captures First Direct Images of Carbon Dioxide on Exoplanets

The groundbreaking observations of the HR 8799 system confirm the planets' formation through core accretion while revealing their atmospheric composition.

An image about NASA confirms detection of carbon, oxygen, and iron within nearby planet atmospheres
The powerful James Webb Space Telescope is revealing the hidden complexities of exoplanets like never before.
A conception of the James Webb Space Telescope orbiting 1 million miles from Earth.
(Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, Leah Hustak (STScI)).

Overview

  • The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) directly imaged carbon dioxide in the atmospheres of four gas giants in the HR 8799 system, 130 light-years away.
  • The findings provide strong evidence that these planets formed through core accretion, a process similar to Jupiter and Saturn's formation in our solar system.
  • Using its coronagraph technology, JWST blocked the bright light of the host star, enabling detailed analysis of faint planetary signals and atmospheric composition.
  • The planets, still radiating heat from their recent formation, showed higher-than-expected levels of heavy elements such as carbon, oxygen, and iron.
  • These observations pave the way for future studies of exoplanetary systems, offering insights into planetary formation and the potential habitability of Earth-like worlds.