Produced by: Tarun Mishra Designed by: Manoj Kumar
The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has been observing AF Lep b, a newly discovered gas planet, located 88 light-years away from Earth. Scientists are racing to study it before the planet becomes unobservable for a decade due to its orbit bringing it too close to its star.
At just 23 million years old, AF Lep b is considered extremely young in planetary terms. For comparison, Earth is approximately 4.5 billion years old. This makes AF Lep b a unique discovery, as such young planets are rarely found.
AF Lep b’s orbit will soon take it too close to its parent star, making it impossible to observe due to the star’s brightness. The planet will not be visible again for the next 10 years, prompting scientists to study it now while it remains detectable.
To quickly gather data on AF Lep b, researchers applied for “Director’s Discretionary Time” from the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore. This allowed them to access the Webb telescope for a focused study of the planet.
To observe AF Lep b, scientists used Webb’s coronagraph, a device that blocks the overwhelming light from nearby stars. This tool enabled them to block 90% of the star’s brightness, allowing for clearer observations of the faint exoplanet.
The study revealed that AF Lep b is a massive gas planet, about three times the size of Jupiter. This makes it a significant object of interest for understanding the formation and characteristics of large exoplanets.
Researchers found signs of a highly active atmosphere on AF Lep b. The detection of carbon monoxide in its upper atmosphere suggests strong updrafts are at play, indicating dynamic weather patterns on the young planet.
The JWST, a collaborative project by NASA, ESA, and the Canadian Space Agency, is designed to study the early universe and distant planets. Its observations of AF Lep b contribute to its broader mission of understanding planetary formation and evolution.