JWST Captures First Direct Images of Carbon Dioxide on Exoplanet HR 8799 e, Offering Clues to Planet Formation

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has achieved a milestone by directly imaging carbon dioxide on the exoplanet HR 8799 e, orbiting a star 130 light-years away. This observation provides insights into planet formation, supporting the "bottom-up" theory where planets form gradually from gas and dust. The HR 8799 system, only 30 million years old, features planets more massive than Jupiter, radiating heat detectable by JWST. The discovery indicates a significant presence of heavy metals in HR 8799 e's atmosphere, aligning with the formation process of gas giants like Jupiter and Saturn in our solar system. This achievement underscores JWST's capability to image faint exoplanets near bright stars, using coronagraphs to block starlight. The observations also included 51 Eridani b, further enhancing understanding of exoplanet composition and formation. Future studies aim to analyze more giant exoplanets, potentially determining the habitability of other solar systems.