NASA’s James Webb Exoplanet
For the first time ever, NASA’s James Webb Exoplanet Telescope has captured a clear picture of a planet that lies far beyond our solar system. It may sound easy, but it’s actually a major breakthrough. These faraway planets, called exoplanets, don’t shine much because they give off very little light, which makes them really hard to spot. Until now, scientists mostly found them by watching tiny drops in a star’s brightness when a planet passed in front of it. But now, being able to see one directly is a big and exciting step forward.
Direct Imaging and the Discovery of TWA 7 b
Unlike before, the James Webb Exoplanet telescope was able to capture a clear image of a planet directly, without relying on complex or indirect techniques. The planet, called TWA 7 b, is thought to be close in size to Saturn and lies approximately 100 light-years from our own planet.
This planet circles its star from much farther away than Earth does, which means its year lasts for hundreds of years. Since the whole system is only around 6 million years old, what we’re seeing is basically a snapshot of its early childhood. By comparison, our Sun is more mature it’s about 4.6 billion years old and well into its middle age.
According to The Guardian, TWA 7 b is extremely tiny about ten times smaller than any other planet that telescopes have been able to photograph directly. Most planets this small are hard to see because the bright light from their stars hides them completely.
A never-before-seen planet! 🪐
This is Webb’s first discovery of a planet using direct imaging. With a mass similar to Saturn, it’s also the lightest exoplanet yet seen using this technique! https://t.co/ptWcXlFfmW pic.twitter.com/XTGwIqgH8n
— NASA Webb Telescope (@NASAWebb) June 25, 2025
Dr. Anne-Marie Lagrange and her team found a smart way to handle the problem by making a special tool for their telescope. This tool works like a solar eclipse, covering up the star’s bright light so they can easily see the planets and other things around it.
By using this method, the team spotted a planet that glows like a bright light surrounded by a thin ring of dust. Lagrange and her team say there’s a slight chance it might be a distant galaxy, but most of the evidence points to it being a brand-new planet we haven’t discovered before.
The first planet outside our solar system was discovered back in 1992. Since then, almost 6,000 more have been found. However, most of these distant planets haven’t been captured in pictures they were detected through different techniques.
One of the newest amazing discoveries from the James Webb Exoplanet telescope is something called an “Einstein Ring.” This happens when light from a faraway galaxy bends around the gravity of another galaxy. Not long ago, this telescope also found the most distant galaxy we’ve ever seen.
The James Webb Exoplanet program continues to open new doors in space exploration, revealing worlds never seen before and helping us understand more about the universe.
Thanks to the James Webb Exoplanet telescope’s advanced technology, scientists now have a clearer view of planets that were once hidden in the glare of their stars.
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