PostedSeptember 21, 2022, 7:49 PM
SpaceNeptune’s rings captured by the James Webb Telescope
Scientists have not had such a clear view of the most distant planet in the solar system since 1989. NASA is delighted to receive “valuable” indications.
Neptune’s rings and a strange light captured by the James Webb Telescope.
AFP
The James Webb Space Telescope has delivered never-before-seen images of the planet Neptune and its rings, which provide valuable insights into its atmosphere, NASA announced on Wednesday. Astronomers have not had such a clear view of the most distant planet in the solar system since the brief and unique passage of a probe, Voyager 2, in the vicinity of this icy giant, in 1989.
The telescope’s infrared vision provides a new way to analyze its atmosphere, said Mark McCaughrean, adviser for science and exploration at the European Space Agency. The telescope eliminates all glare due to the sun’s reflection on Neptune’s surface and light pollution from its surroundings, so as to “begin to guess the atmospheric composition” of the planet, says this astronomer who has worked more than 20 years on the “James Webb” project.
“Strange Light”
Neptune looked bluish in images taken by the Hubble telescope, due to the presence of methane in its atmosphere. With James Webb’s NIRCam instrument, which works in the near infrared, the planet takes on a colorized hue in a greyish white. The image also shows “strange light” at one of Neptune’s poles, the US space agency said.
The telescope also captured images of seven of the planet’s fourteen known moons. And in particular of Triton, which resembles by its brilliance a small star. Larger than the dwarf planet Pluto, it also appears brighter than Neptune, due to the reflection of sunlight off its icy surface.
“Facilitate the observation of other icy giants”
Astronomers looking for planets outside our solar system have found that those like Neptune or Uranus are the most common. “The ability to observe these closely will facilitate the observation of other icy giants orbiting other stars” than our Sun, explained Mark McCaughrean.
In service since last July, James Webb is the most powerful space telescope ever deployed. It will allow a kind of astronomy “which was unthinkable even five years ago”, concludes Mark McCaughrean.
(AFP)
