Skip to main content

James Webb telescope gets a view of the ‘white whale’ of exoplanet research

Studying other planets is difficult not only because they are so far away, but also because they can have properties that make taking readings much harder. Here in our solar system, we only have scant information about the surface of Venus because its thick atmosphere makes it hard to view. Being 50 light-years away, the planet GJ 1214 b has proved similarly tricky, defying 15 years of attempted observations due to its hazy nature.

But now, the James Webb Space Telescope has been able to peer into the planet’s atmosphere for the first time, revealing the secrets of this mysterious place. It’s known as a mini-Neptune because it has a thick atmosphere and layers of ice like Neptune. Only around three times the diameter of the Earth, the planet likely has lots of water, but it is located in the atmosphere, not on the surface, due to its high surface temperature.

This artist’s concept depicts the planet GJ 1214 b, a “mini-Neptune” with what is likely a steamy, hazy atmosphere. A new study based on observations by NASA’s Webb telescope provides insight into this type of planet, the most common in the galaxy.
This artist’s concept depicts the planet GJ 1214 b, a “mini-Neptune” with what is likely a steamy, hazy atmosphere. A new study based on observations by NASA’s Webb telescope provides insight into this type of planet, the most common in the galaxy. Image used with permission by copyright holder

This water vapor may have contributed to the haziness of the atmosphere, which made observations difficult. However, the main culprit compound causing the reflectiveness remains unknown. “The planet is totally blanketed by some sort of haze or cloud layer,” said lead author Eliza Kempton of the University of Maryland in a statement. “The atmosphere just remained totally hidden from us until this observation.”

To observe the planet, researchers used Webb’s Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI), which can see temperature variations across the planet, showing the differences between the hot dayside that always faces the star and the cooler nightside that always faces out into space. As well as learning about the atmosphere’s composition, scientists were also able to determine that the planet’s average temperature is a scorching 230 degrees Celsius.

This shows how new tools are able to crack some of the tough nuts in exoplanet research, according to experts who described the planet as a “white whale of exoplanet atmosphere characterization.”

“For the last almost decade, the only thing we really knew about this planet was that the atmosphere was cloudy or hazy,” said Rob Zellem, exoplanet researcher  at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. “This paper has really cool implications for additional detailed climate interpretations – to look at the detailed physics happening inside this planet’s atmosphere.”

The research is published in the journal Nature.

Editors' Recommendations

Georgina Torbet
Georgina is the Digital Trends space writer, covering human space exploration, planetary science, and cosmology. She…
Scientists explain cosmic ‘question mark’ spotted by Webb space telescope
The shape of a question mark captured by the James Webb Space Telescope.

Considering the myriad of unknowns that still exist for scientists exploring the vastness of the universe, the recent discovery in deep space of what seems to be a giant question mark feels highly appropriate.

Captured by the powerful James Webb Space Telescope, the bright, distinctive object clearly bears the shape of a question mark, leaving some stargazers wondering if the cosmos is teasing us, or perhaps motivating us to keep on searching the depths of space for the secrets that it may reveal.

Read more
James Webb telescope captures the gorgeous Ring Nebula in stunning detail
JWST/NIRcam composite image of the Ring Nebula. The images clearly show the main ring, surrounded by a faint halo and with many delicate structures. The interior of the ring is filled with hot gas. The star which ejected all this material is visible at the very centre. It is extremely hot, with a temperature in excess of 100,000 degrees. The nebula was ejected only about 4000 years ago. Technical details: The image was obtained with JWST's NIRCam instrument on August 4, 2022. Images in three different filters were combined to create this composite image: F212N (blue); F300M (green); and F335M (red).

A new image from the James Webb Space Telescope shows the stunning and distinctive Ring Nebula -- a gorgeous structure of dust and gas located in the constellation of Lyra. This nebula is a favorite among sky watchers as it faces toward Earth so we can see its beautiful structure, and because it is visible throughout the summer from the Northern Hemisphere. It is different from the Southern Ring nebula, which Webb has also imaged, but both are a type of object called a planetary nebula.

Located just 2,600 light-years away, the Ring Nebula is a structure of dust and gas that was first observed in the 1770s, when it was thought to be something like a planet. With advances in technology, astronomers realized it was not a planet, but rather a cloud of dust and gas, and thanks to highly detailed observations by space telescopes like Hubble and Webb, scientists have been able to see more of its complex structure. The nebula isn't a simple sphere or blob, but is rather a central, football-shaped structure surrounded by rings of different material.

Read more
See how James Webb instruments work together to create stunning views of space
The irregular galaxy NGC 6822.

A series of new images from the James Webb Space Telescope shows the dusty, irregular galaxy NGC 6822 -- and the different views captured by various Webb instruments.

Located relatively close by at 1.5 million light-years from Earth, this galaxy is notable for its low metallicity. Confusingly, when astronomers say metallicity they do not mean the amount of metals present in a galaxy, but rather the amount of all heavy elements -- i.e., everything which isn't hydrogen or helium. This factor is important because the very earliest galaxies in the universe were made up almost entirely of hydrogen and helium, meaning they had low metallicity, and the heavier elements were created over time in the heart of stars and were then distributed through the universe when some of those stars went supernova.

Read more