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jameswebb-discoveries

2 years ago

Discovery Alert - In a new discovery released on May 31, 2023 - James Webb Telescope Detects Water Vapor on Ultra-Hot Exoplanet WASP-18 b

The team used NASA's James Webb Space Telescope's NIRISS SOSS 0.85-2.8 um wavelength range to measure the thermal emission spectrum of WASP-18 b, capturing 65% of the total energy emitted by the planet. Due to the extreme heat on the planet's day side, water vapor molecules would disintegrate. However, the Webb Telescope detected water vapor directly on the planet, even in small quantities, demonstrating the observatory's remarkable sensitivity. Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech (R. Hurt/IPAC). Read full article here