One giant exoplanet with dough six times larger than Jupiter was found orbiting a Sun-like star approximately 12,000 light-years from Earth.
The new observations, made with the James Webb Space Telescope, confirmed the predictions of the existence of a body revolving around the star Epsilon Indi A. The exoplanet Eps Ind Ab turned out, however, to be different from expectations, presenting a bright and cold appearance .
The study published in the journal Nature showed that Eps Ind Ab is different from what was expected. Contrary to theory, it is not hot, with a temperature of around 2ºC and a mass more than six times greater than that of Jupiter.
The exoplanet is located at a distance of 15 astronomical units (average distance between Earth and the Sun) from Earth and its orbital period is estimated to last a few decades. The data also indicates that this is likely the only giant planet in the system.
The star it orbits, Epsilon Indi A, is approximately 3.5 billion years old and is close to Earth, at a distance of 3.6 parsecs from Earth — about 12 thousand light years. Classified as a G-type yellow dwarf, it burns hydrogen at a temperature slightly lower than that of the Sun.
It was already expected that the star could host a giant planet, but the previously available information was not enough to prove the theory. The new data obtained from the observation showed that Epsilon Indi A has in its orbit a SuperJupiter-type exoplanet — an astronomical object much more massive than the planet Jupiter.
James Webb Space Telescope
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Last view of the James Webb Space Telescope captured by the rocket’s cameras Credit: Arianespace/ESA/NASA/CSA/CNES
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Launch of the James Webb Space Telescope on December 25, 2021 Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls
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James Webb Telescope under construction and being prepared for its in preparation for center of curvature tests Credit: Maggie Masetti/Nasa
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Webb Telescope Solar Shield Final Test Credit: NASA/Chris Gunn
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Life-size JWST model at the 2013 SXSW event Credit: NASA/Chris Gunn
The James Webb Space Telescope (also known as JWST or Webb) is, as of 2021, the most up-to-date tool we have regarding space observation. The tool was built to study each phase of the history of the Universe, from its great expansion to the evolution of our own Solar System.
Webb’s goals are, according to NASA (United States Space Agency), to search for the first galaxies or luminous objects formed after the Big Bang; determine how they evolved; observe the formation of stars from the earliest stages to the formation of planetary systems; measure the physical and chemical properties of these systems (including the Solar System); and investigate the potential for life on these set of celestial bodies.
