Planet discovered by the James Webb Space Telescope
146The exoplanet TWA 7b is an exciting recent discovery made by the James Webb Space Telescope.
What is TWA 7b?
It is an exoplanet (i.e. a planet outside our Solar System).
It is located about 100 light-years from Earth, in the constellation Hydra.
It orbits a young star called TWA 7, which is only 6.4 million years old.
๐ญ How was it discovered?
James Webb used an instrument called MIRI (infrared camera) along with a coronagraph, which blocks the light from the star to reveal objects around it.
This allowed it to capture a direct image of the planet โ something rare and technically challenging.
๐ Characteristics of TWA 7b
It has a mass similar to that of Saturn, which makes it one of the lightest exoplanets ever observed by direct imaging. - It is located in a void region within a disk of gas and dust, which suggests that it may be shaping the structure around it.
๐ Why is this discovery important?
Most exoplanets are detected by indirect methods, such as transit (when the planet passes in front of the star).
Directly observing such a small and cold planet shows the impressive advancement of James Webb's technology.
The discovery was announced on June 25, 2025, with publication in the scientific journal Nature.
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