James Webb Telescope Finds Methane in Atmosphere of Saturn-Sized Exoplanet
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Astronomers using NASA's James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) have detected methane in the atmosphere of the Saturn-sized planet TOI-199b. The discovery, led by Penn State and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), also hints at the presence of ammonia and carbon dioxide. The planet orbits a star more than 330 light years away.
Facts First
- Methane detected in the atmosphere of Saturn-sized exoplanet TOI-199b
- Observations also hinted at ammonia and carbon dioxide
- Discovery made using NASA's James Webb Space Telescope (JWST)
- Planet orbits a star more than 330 light years from Earth
- Research was led by Penn State and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
What Happened
Astronomers used NASA's James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) to study the atmosphere of the Saturn-sized planet TOI-199b. A study published on May 20 in the Astronomical Journal found that TOI-199b contains methane in its atmosphere. The research team, led by scientists from Penn State and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), used transmission spectroscopy to investigate the atmosphere, a method that studies starlight passing through a planet's atmosphere as it moves across its star. Observations also hinted at the presence of ammonia and carbon dioxide.
Why this Matters to You
This discovery may deepen our understanding of the chemical diversity of planets beyond our solar system. While TOI-199b is over 330 light years away, the techniques used to study it could be refined to analyze atmospheres of closer worlds, potentially informing future searches for signs of life elsewhere in the universe.
What's Next
The research team collected approximately 20 continuous hours of observations to establish a baseline measurement of the star's light, and the planetary transit lasted about seven hours. Further observations with JWST could help confirm the hints of ammonia and carbon dioxide and provide a more detailed chemical profile of TOI-199b's atmosphere.