NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has captured a striking image of an unusually cold exoplanet, 14 Herculis c, located 60 light years away from Earth. This discovery sheds new light on how planetary systems can develop differently from our own Solar System.
The exoplanet is massive, about seven times the weight of Jupiter, but its temperature is as low as minus 3 degrees Celsius, making it difficult to detect and study. The JWST’s infrared sensitivity allowed astronomers to capture this cold world, opening up new possibilities for studying older, cooler planets that were previously beyond our reach.
What makes the 14 Herculis system unusual is its chaotic arrangement of planets. Unlike our Solar System, where planets orbit roughly in the same plane, the two planets in this system cross each other’s paths like an “X,” with their orbital planes tilted about 40 degrees relative to each other. This creates a complex gravitational system that constantly tugs and pulls at one another.
The team behind the study believes this misaligned system provides insight into its early history. A leading theory suggests that a third planet was once part of this system but was violently ejected during formation, causing the remaining two planets to scatter into their current unusual orbits.
The JWST’s observations revealed additional puzzles about 14 Herculis c, including why it appears dimmer than expected for an object of its mass and age. Scientists attribute this to “carbon disequilibrium chemistry,” a phenomenon where atmospheric churning brings molecules from warmer lower layers to the cold upper atmosphere quickly creating an unusual atmospheric composition.
Future spectroscopic studies of 14 Herculis c could provide more detailed information about its atmospheric composition, helping scientists better understand the complex dynamics that shaped this remarkable system. The discovery highlights that the universe contains planetary arrangements far stranger and more diverse than we previously imagined.
Source: https://www.universetoday.com/articles/webb-directly-observes-a-frigid-exoplanet