The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) successfully captured a direct image of the exoplanet AF Lep b, located 88 light-years from Earth. This significant achievement comes as the planet will not be visible again for another ten years due to its proximity to its host star.
Researcher Kyle Franson from the University of Texas at Austin noted the challenges posed by the JWST's smaller size compared to ground-based telescopes and its sensitivity to longer wavelengths, which can blur the distinction between celestial objects. Despite these challenges, the JWST utilized its coronagraph to block out 90% of the star's light, allowing for clearer observation of the planet.
AF Lep b is a young exoplanet, making it a strong candidate for observation due to its brightness. The primary objective of studying this exoplanet is to gain insights into its atmosphere, which is rare among planets with similar mass to our gas giants.
Current observations indicate that AF Lep b has an active atmosphere with convection currents mixing elements between its upper and lower levels. Furthermore, the presence of higher-than-expected levels of carbon monoxide suggests that strong upward currents may be transporting the gas to the planet's upper atmosphere.