Webb telescope detects exoplanet carbon dioxide for first time

The James Webb Space Telescope has made a groundbreaking observation by directly detecting carbon dioxide in the atmosphere of exoplanets for the first time. Scientists reported this significant finding on Monday. The observation took place in the HR 8799 system, which is located 130 light years from Earth and is much younger than our solar system. The system is about 30 million years old. A research team from the U.S. used Webb's coronagraph instruments to see the atmospheres of the system's four known planets more clearly. Normally, the Webb telescope detects exoplanets when they pass in front of their host stars. This method was how it indirectly found CO₂ in the atmosphere of a gas giant in 2022. However, the recent observation provides a direct look at the light emitted from the planet itself. Lead author William Balmer from Johns Hopkins University compared this process to using a thumb to block sunlight while looking at the sky. He noted that while these gas giants are not suitable for life, they might have moons that could support life. Carbon dioxide plays an essential role in life on Earth. Its presence in space can help scientists understand how planets form. The discovery represents important evidence that distant planets might form similarly to those in our solar system. Despite finding nearly 6,000 exoplanets so far, few are considered habitable. Balmer emphasized the need to search for smaller, Earth-sized planets. Future efforts, including the upcoming Nancy Grace Roman space telescope, aim to explore this area after its planned launch in 2027. Balmer hopes to study more four-planet systems with Webb but expressed concerns about future funding. Recent announcements about cuts in NASA's budget could impact their research.