First exoplanet TWA 7B discovered - a look at the unknown universe!

First exoplanet TWA 7B discovered - a look at the unknown universe!

TWA 7, Sternbild Antlia - researchers have succeeded in a remarkable discovery: they have demonstrated the first exoplanet, TWA 7b, outside of our solar system. The international team, led by Anne-Marie Lagrange, used the James Webb World Commerce Telescope (JWST) for these groundbreaking observations. The JWST, which was sent to space in July 2022, has established itself as a decisive instrument at exploration of distant planets, stars and galaxies.

twa 7b is located in the TWA 7 star system, about 150 light years from Earth and is a relatively young star at around 6.4 million years. There are three large dust and gas panes in its surroundings where new planets can be created. TWA 7B was discovered in one of these rings and, due to its unique properties, is the smallest directly visible exoplanet, which was previously observed with a space telescope.

Details for discovery

The discovery of the exoplanet was made possible by the highly developed spectrographs of the JWST, which allow scientists to examine the atmospheres of exoplanets. TWA 7B has a mass of around 30 earth masses and could be classified as a gas giant. Interestingly, the exoplanet is about 52 astronomical units (AE) from its central star - for comparison: Saturn is about 10 AE away. This distant location makes it an extraordinary goal for future research.

The observations that took place in a wavelength of 11.4 micrometers over a period of four hours led to TWA 7B identified as a small, yellowish -glowing point. The team with the help of a corona grove concluded that it is an object of our solar system or a galaxy. Future studies could provide important findings on the formation of exoplanets and their chemical compositions.

A look into the future

researchers are optimistic that the highly developed technology of the JWST will enable numerous other discoveries of young planets. The possibility of observing the development of planets in the surrounding windows offers a new access to understanding planet formation. TWA 7B could not only offer new insights into these processes, but also serve as an ideal goal for detailed spectroscopic analyzes of its atmosphere.

With the successful identification of Twa 7b, the James Webb telescope sets new standards in astronomy. Experts hope that this discovery will pave the way for further exciting research projects that could expand the understanding of the diversity and development of planets in the universe. The research work on this topic was published in the journal "Nature", which underlines the important role of the JWST in modern astronomy.

Further information and details on the discovery can be found in the reports of OE24 , Spectrum and World of Physics .