In addition to photos, there has also been some remarkable data released.
Of all these dazzling findings, one of the most extraordinary discoveries is the detection of life on exoplanets.
Finding life outside of our own little world has been a never-ending journey for humankind.
Spectroscopy of WASP 96-b’s atmosphere (Photo: NASA)
There are nowover 5,000 exoplanetsthat have been discovered by NASA, some of which could host life.
The only reason we have methane in the Earths atmosphere is because its constantly produced by life.
The process our powerhouse telescope uses to gather this information is known as thetransit method.
Spectroscopy showing WASP 96-b’s transit light curve (Photo: NASA)
JWST is pointed in the direction of the exoplanets star.
As the exoplanet travels between us and its star, the planet will block some of the starlight.
Why a spectrum of colors?
Hypothetical Visualization of WASP 96-b (Photo: NASA)
Certain elements and molecules absorb particular wavelengths of light.
That light that is not absorbed then gets reflected back to the viewer, appearing as a certain color.
For example, you will see leaves of dark green because they have a good amount of chlorophyll.
Artist Rendering of TRAPPIST-1e (Photo: NASA)
Scientists know where certain elements lie in this grand spectrum of colors.
In laymans terms, JWST reveals what colors are staying in the planets atmosphere.
This habitable exoplanet search is already underway, with Webbs first reading in June 2022 ofgiant gas exoplanet WASP-96b.
This gassy globe has temperatures of over 1000F and is much puffier than any planet orbiting our Sun.
Its spectrum proved a significant presence of water and, even more surprising, clouds and haze.
This means those clouds JWST detected could be made of sand.
In the meantime, JWST will turn its sights onto other exoplanets.
This includes the exoplanets orbiting the cool dwarf starTRAPPIST-1, specifically those in the stars habitable zone.
These could have liquid water, making them candidates for supporting life as we know it here on Earth.
Those clouds could be made of sand.
If elements of life are out there somewhere, JWST will find them.
