The James Webb Space Telescope continues to uncover new mysteries in the vast universe, showing it was worth its hefty price tag, as it’s now helping astronomers learn more about a planet characterized as a mini-Neptune.
According to a new report published in ‘Nature,’ astronomers have used the high-powered telescope to learn more about the planet, which has left them stumped since they discovered it over a decade ago.
The planet, scientifically named GJ 1214b, is nothing like any planet in our solar system, though researchers shared that they are common throughout our galaxy.
Earning the moniker mini-Neptune, or super-Earth, the planet falls into a category of worlds much bigger than rocky planets like Earth but still smaller than our sun’s ice or gas giants.
Thanks to the use of the James Webb Telescope, researchers have discovered the planet has “a high metallicity atmosphere blanketed by a thick and highly reflective layer of clouds or haze.” They also say that it could contain one substance needed to sustain life: water.
Eliza Kempton, an astronomer with the University of Maryland, spoke with NPR about the report’s findings, saying that astronomers are focused on GJ 1214b because it’s the single-most accessible planet of its kind to observe due to its proximity, 48 light-years away, and the star it orbits.
However, even though it’s considered accessible, Kempton says it hasn’t been easy for astronomers to study.
“This planet has been a challenge. We’ve been trying to understand what its atmosphere is made of for a long time,” she said.
While typically, astronomers are able to dissect planets by observing how they pass in front of a star, GJ 1214b was difficult to examine because of its cloudy atmosphere. However, the James Webb Telescope has given them a new lens to observe it, literally.
Using the telescope’s infrared tools, Kempton shared that they attempted to observe the “heat coming off the planet,” which she classified as a success.
“We were able to effectively map out the temperature of the planet on all of its different phases,” Kempton said.
Researchers shared in their report that the planet, which orbits its sun every 38 hours, has a dayside temperature of approximately 530 degrees Fahrenheit.
But while some mysteries have been answered, the new findings now have astronomers guessing once again. One new question they have is about how the planet absorbs, or rather doesn’t absorb, the energy from its star.
Kempton says scientists will get to work, attempting to recreate the clouds or haze-like atmosphere of GJ 1214b in a lab to better understand what might be happening on the distant planet.
When it comes to what might be on GJ 1214b, Kempton says that researchers are “pretty confident that there is water there.” However, because of the temperature, she stressed that it may not be in the form of a liquid.
Astronomers say they plan on continuing to search for planets of this size to help understand if the entire class of planets has similar make-ups or if GJ 1214b is a one-off.
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