Breakthrough in Exoplanet Research: Massive World Imaged

• Massive exoplanet directly imaged
• New exoplanet imaged by Webb
• Massive exoplanet with unusual atmosphere
• Direct imaging reveals exoplanet details

Massive exoplanet directly imaged

Breakthrough in Exoplanet Research: Massive World

An international team of astronomers, including Prashant Pathak, an assistant professor at the Department of Space, Planetary & Astronomical Sciences & Engineering (SPASE) at IIT-Kanpur, has identified a massive exoplanet orbiting a star similar to our Sun. The exoplanet, named Epsilon Indi Ab (or Eps Ind Ab), is a ‘super-Jupiter,’ with a mass at least six times greater than that of Jupiter. This discovery marks the first time a mature exoplanet has been detected using direct imaging techniques. The findings and research have been published in the journal Nature.

An international team of astronomers has used the James Webb Space Telescope’s Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) to directly image a newly discovered exoplanet orbiting the K5V-type star Epsilon Indi A (also known as HD 209100 or HI). This achievement represents a significant milestone in space exploration. The newly found planet is situated 12 light-years from Earth, has a chilly temperature of around -1°C (30°F), and orbits its star at a distance 28 times greater than the distance between the Earth and the Sun.

Elisabeth Matthews, a researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy in Heidelberg, Germany, and lead author of the study, noted that while previous research had identified a planet in this system, it had underestimated its mass and orbital distance. The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has now clarified these details.

Manindra Agrawal, Director of IIT-Kanpur, emphasized that this discovery marks a significant milestone in exoplanet research and paves the way for future discoveries, bringing us closer to understanding planetary systems beyond our own. He highlighted that Dr. Prashant Pathak’s collaboration with international experts underscores IIT-Kanpur’s global contributions to space research.

Assistant Professor Prashant Pathak commented that the planet’s atmosphere seems to have an unusual composition, indicating a high metal content and a unique carbon-to-oxygen ratio. This discovery raises intriguing questions about the planet’s formation and evolution. By studying Epsilon Indi Ab and other nearby exoplanets, the team aims to gain deeper insights into planetary formation, atmospheric composition, and the potential for life beyond our solar system.

Direct imaging reveals exoplanet details

Previous efforts to study the planet were unsuccessful due to its long orbital period of around 200 years, which meant that short-term observations did not provide enough data to accurately determine the planet’s properties. To overcome this challenge, the team opted for a direct imaging approach. They used the James Webb Space Telescope’s Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) equipped with a coronagraph to block out the star’s light, effectively creating an artificial eclipse. This technique allows for the detection of faint signals near bright objects, similar to how the solar corona is observed during a solar eclipse.

Thomas Henning, Emeritus Director at MPIA, co-PI of the MIRI instrument, and co-author of the study, explained that the team’s next goal is to obtain spectra for a detailed analysis of the planet’s climate and chemical composition. Looking ahead, they also aim to observe other nearby planetary systems to search for cold gas giants.