JWST Detects Atmosphere on Planet Orbiting Dead Star
Researchers utilizing the James Webb Space Telescope have identified an atmosphere surrounding WD 1856 b, a planet comparable in size to Jupiter, which orbits a white dwarf located 80 light-years from our planet. This marks the inaugural observation of an atmosphere on a planet that transits a deceased star. The planet completes an orbit around its star every 34 hours, positioned less than two million miles away, and is seven times larger than the Earth-sized white dwarf. The team assessed its mass to be between 4 and 11 times that of Jupiter and its temperature at approximately 260°F, which is 240°F above what the white dwarf's dim light would suggest. The atmosphere is believed to contain aerosols and organic materials, likely including methane. The additional heat indicates that the planet likely migrated to its present orbit about one billion years ago, following the star's demise, rather than being swallowed. These findings were published on July 1 in the journal Nature, although some astronomers have expressed skepticism regarding the migration theory, deeming it 'provocative.' The team intends to conduct further observations with JWST. This system may offer insights into the future of our solar system, where in five billion years, the sun is expected to evolve into a red giant, potentially allowing Jupiter to endure.
Key facts
- WD 1856 b is a Jupiter-sized planet orbiting a white dwarf 80 light-years from Earth.
- JWST detected its atmosphere, the first such detection on a planet transiting a dead star.
- The planet orbits the white dwarf every 34 hours at a distance of less than two million miles.
- The planet is seven times larger than the white dwarf it orbits.
- Mass is between 4 and 11 times that of Jupiter.
- Temperature is roughly 260°F, 240°F hotter than expected from the white dwarf alone.
- Atmosphere contains aerosols and organic compounds, likely including methane.
- Findings published July 1 in Nature.
- Excess heat suggests gravitational migration about one billion years ago, not engulfment.
- Some astronomers are skeptical of the 'reheated' planet scenario.
- Team plans four more JWST transits for detailed study.
- System may show Jupiter's fate when the sun becomes a red giant in five billion years.
Entities
Institutions
- Northwestern University
- Cornell University
- University of Texas at Austin
- University of Kansas
- University of St. Andrews
- Nature
- CNN
- Scientific American
- Smithsonian magazine
Locations
- Earth
- Scotland