The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) recently detected both methane and water vapor in the atmosphere of an exoplanet similar in size and makeup to Jupiter, located about 163 light-years away. This discovery was made possible by observing the exoplanet, known as WASP-80 b, past its parent star, a red dwarf, using powerful infrared space telescope technology.
To date, water vapor in the atmospheres of just about a dozen exoplanets has been spotted by astronomers, but the detection of methane has been far less common using spectroscopy from space. Scientists working with the James Webb Space Telescope, including Arizona State University scientists Luis Welbanks and Michael Line, as well as Bay Area Environmental Research Institute (BAERI) researcher Taylor Bell, have managed to observe this new discovery.
Astronomer Luis Welbanks expressed the significance of the discovery, stating, “This was the first time we had seen such an obvious methane spectral feature with our eyes in a transiting exoplanet spectrum, not too much unlike what could be seen in the spectra of the solar system giant planets a half a century ago.”
WASP-80 b is classified as a “warm Jupiter” and is considered a rarity among exoplanets. Detecting this exoplanet in relation to its red dwarf star proved to be no easy feat. When viewed through the JWST, its detection is equivalent to finding a single human hair from a distance of 9 miles away, highlighting just how advanced and powerful this space observatory is.
Continuing their research, the team observed a combination of spectra and compared it with the star’s solo spectra to reveal distinctive fingerprints of specific molecules in WASP-80 b’s atmosphere. With an atmosphere primarily composed of methane and observable thermal light emissions, this “warm Jupiter” is a unique planet worthy of further study.
After comprehensive measurements and analysis using a combination of methods, the team, led by the Arizona State University scientists, remains focused on the possibilities for what the exoplanet’s compositional elements could reveal about its formation history and evolutionary processes. Additionally, this groundbreaking research contributes to the ongoing search for other potentially habitable worlds with life-friendly conditions.
The team’s findings have been published in the journal Nature, marking a significant advancement in exoplanetary research and exploration, opening new possibilities for the future of space science.
