James Webb Telescope Captures First Direct Image of Saturn-Mass Exoplanet
NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has reached a major milestone by capturing its first direct image of TWA 7 b, a newly discovered Saturn-mass exoplanet orbiting the young star TWA 7. Using a coronagraph to block starlight, Webb identified the planet embedded in the star’s dusty ring system. TWA 7 b is the smallest exoplanet ever imaged directly. The discovery highlights Webb’s unprecedented precision and paves the way for imaging even smaller, potentially Earth-like planets with future observatories equipped with next-generation coronagraphs and infrared imaging instruments.
NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has reached a major milestone by capturing its first direct image of TWA 7 b, a newly discovered Saturn-mass exoplanet orbiting the young star TWA 7. Using a coronagraph to block starlight, Webb identified the planet embedded in the star’s dusty ring system. TWA 7 b is the smallest exoplanet ever imaged directly. The discovery highlights Webb’s unprecedented precision and paves the way for imaging even smaller, potentially Earth-like planets with future observatories equipped with next-generation coronagraphs and infrared imaging instruments.