NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has captured a stunning image of an exoplanet 60 light-years away from Earth, revealing it to be the coldest exoplanet yet discovered. The exoplanet, known as 14 Herculis c, is about seven times the mass of Jupiter and orbits a star similar in age and temperature to our sun.
The team of researchers used Webb’s near-infrared camera to gather new insights into the exoplanet’s temperature, strange orbit, and atmosphere. Surprisingly, the exoplanet is as cold as 26 degrees Fahrenheit, making it the coldest exoplanet imaged to date.
This discovery is significant because it challenges our understanding of planetary formation and evolution. The exoplanet’s unusual orbit, which resembles an X, suggests that the planet may have formed in a unique way. Additionally, the fact that the other exoplanet in the system, 14 Herculis b, has been observed before but not as cold, highlights the complexity of these systems.
The James Webb Space Telescope has already made several groundbreaking discoveries since its launch in 2021, including the detection of thousands of exoplanets. The telescope’s advanced instruments and gold-coated mirror allow it to observe the cosmos with unprecedented precision.
The discovery of 14 Herculis c is a significant milestone in the search for life beyond Earth. While the findings do not prove the existence of life on this exoplanet, they do provide valuable insights into its environment and potential habitability.
As astronomers continue to explore the universe, discoveries like these remind us that there is still much to learn about our cosmos. The James Webb Space Telescope will undoubtedly play a crucial role in unraveling many of these mysteries.
Source: https://eu.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2025/06/11/frigid-exoplanet-nasa-webb/84146044007