JWST's Unexpected Find: Coldest and Oldest Super-Jupiter Discovered!

 Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) have made an incredible discovery: a massive exoplanet, six times the size of Jupiter, lurking just 12 light-years from Earth. Named Epsilon Indi Ab, this gas giant is the coldest and oldest exoplanet ever directly imaged.

JWST directly imaged the gas giant planet Epsilon Indi Ab by blocking out the light from its host star (located where the white star symbol is placed). Credit: ESA/Webb, NASA, CSA, STScI, E. Matthews (Max Planck Institute for Astronomy)

  • The surprise find came after a case of cosmic mistaken identity, as astronomers initially believed they were observing a different planet. Instead, they uncovered Epsilon Indi Ab, which orbits its star at a distance of 28 astronomical units (AU) – a whopping threefold increase from the initially thought nine AU.
  • Epsilon Indi Ab orbits an orange dwarf star named Epsilon Indi A, part of a fascinating binary system with a brown dwarf. This unique setup makes it an exciting subject for further study. Initial observations hint at an atmosphere rich in heavy elements, including significant amounts of methane, ammonia, carbon dioxide, and carbon monoxide.

Cropped versions of the MIRI images obtained at mid-infrared wavelengths 10.65 (left) and 15.55 micrometres (right) of Epsilon Indi A (which has been blocked by a coronagraph and marked by a star) and its surrounds. The planet, above and to the left in both images, shows up as a bright spot. Credit: T. Müller (MPIA/HdA), E. Matthews (MPIA)

  • The JWST's Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) was crucial in this discovery. Used a coronagraph to block the star's light, MIRI allowed the faint glow of Epsilon Indi Ab to be observed. This technique confirmed the planet's existence and revealed its massive size and unusual orbital distance.
  • The research team, led by Dr. Elisabeth Matthews from the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, plans to continue studying this intriguing exoplanet. They hope to gather more detailed information about its atmosphere and chemical composition, which could provide insights on the formation and evolution of gas giants.

By:- Ranjan

#JWST, #SuperJupiter, #ExoplanetDiscovery, #AstronomyNews, #SpaceScience,

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