NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has captured stunning images of Neptune’s auroras, revealing new details about the farthest planet from the sun. This marks the first robust detection of Neptune’s auroras since Voyager 2 passed by the planet in 1989.
Auroras on any planet occur when electrically charged particles from space collide with molecules in the atmosphere, emitting light. On Earth, these spectacular displays are often seen near the polar regions, but scientists have struggled to study auroras on other planets due to their distance and elusiveness.
The Webb telescope has provided direct evidence of Neptune’s shimmering lights in infrared light, shedding new light on this phenomenon. According to University of Reading planetary scientist James O’Donoghue, Neptune’s auroras occur near the mid-latitudes of the planet, not at the poles, due to differences in its magnetic field.
The powerful telescope has enabled scientists to see Neptune’s auroras again for the first time in over three decades. The research team also found that Neptune’s atmosphere has cooled significantly since the 1980s, which may have dimmed the light of the auroras.
Source: https://apnews.com/article/neptune-auroras-webb-telescope-ffac7282bc5ced7e90759728d1d0b96a