Plato's Mission

Описание: Discover the groundbreaking discoveries made by the James Webb Space Telescope since its launch in December 2021. The telescope has revolutionized our understanding of the cosmos, particularly in early universe observations. In its first science year, the Webb telescope is set to devote a quarter of its time to studying exoplanets in 75 programs. With the ability to detect a wide range of molecules, including carbon dioxide, the telescope has the potential to uncover biosignatures that could help us detect life on other potentially habitable worlds beyond our Solar System.

Recently, the Webb telescope confirmed the existence of exoplanet LHS 475 b, orbiting only 41 light years away from the constellation Octans. This planet is among the closest in size to Earth and orbits its red dwarf star every two days. With its sensitive optics, the Webb telescope is at the forefront of studying small, rocky exoplanets like LHS 475 b. However, the telescope's coronagraph is currently unable to reveal small, potentially habitable worlds, but recent studies have shown it can see worlds up to the size of Jupiter or Saturn orbiting red dwarf stars beyond five times the Earth-Sun distance.

Join us as we explore the groundbreaking work being done by the James Webb Space Telescope in the field of exoplanet research, and how it is reshaping our understanding of the universe.