JWST Archives

Gallery of images for the epochs at which β Pic d is detected (source indicated with a white arrow). The JWST/NIRCam images have been processed with a high-pass filter to reduce disk flux. The known planet β Pic b is the bright source in the North-East of the image in epochs 1–3. In epochs 4 and 5, β Pic b is within the inner mask used for data reduction. We note that for the 2014-12-08 epoch (epoch 6), β Pic b and β Pic d are nearly coincident; planet β Pic b (open circle) has been subtracted here to allow the much fainter β Pic d (arrow) to be seen. All images use the same normalized color scale and field of view, with ticks spaced at 1 arcsec intervals. -- astro-ph.EP

Direct Imaging Discovery of Giant Exoplanet β Pictoris d: A Decade-Long Game of Hide-and-Seek

by Keith CowingJune 24, 2026June 24, 2026

We report the direct imaging discovery of a third exoplanet in the β Pictoris system. We detect β Pictoris d in non-coronagraphic observations obtained with VLT/ERIS as well as multi-epoch […]

Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS (NIRSpec IFU) -- ESA (larger Image)

Comets and Asteroids

Webb Finds Clues To The Ancient Origin Of Comet 3I/ATLAS

by Keith CowingJune 23, 2026June 23, 2026

The third identified interstellar comet in human history has a surprising chemical makeup, raising questions as to how common, or unusual, conditions in our own Solar System may be.

Astrochemistry, Astrogeology, Astronomy & Telescopes, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Press Release

Famous Pink Planet Harbors A Salty Surprise

by Keith CowingJune 21, 2026June 21, 2026

Northwestern University-led astronomers have discovered salty skies surrounding the universe’s famous “Pink Planet.”

For each shaded region (i.e., species) in the top figure, the plots on the left show the spectral signature of the specific molecule (in color) superposed on the residuals (in black) between the planet spectrum and the best-fit reduced model (model without species of interest), while the right plots show the detection signal-to-noise using the cross-correlation technique. -- astro-ph.EP

Astronomy & Telescopes, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Status Report

JWST-TST High Contrast: First Direct Spectroscopy of GJ 504 b Reveals Clouds And Possible Metal Enrichment

by Keith CowingJune 20, 2026June 20, 2026

Characterizing the coldest directly imaged companions through direct spectroscopy has only recently become possible with the James Webb Space Telescope.

A schematic cross section of a planet along the plane of the terminator showing the accelerations acting on an atmospheric parcel (light grey)

Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Status Report

Effect Of Tidal Gravity And Planetary Rotation On The Retrieved Atmospheric Abundances Of Close-in Exoplanets

by Keith CowingJune 18, 2026June 18, 2026

Most modern atmospheric retrievals adopt the simplifying assumption that the planetary atmosphere endures no planetary rotation and stellar tidal effect.

PAH ratio maps for the five PAHSPECS galaxies. We only show pixels that have a > 3σ measurement of the ratio. The left column shows NIRCAM color images using the F090W, F200W, F444W filters (M. J. Rieke et al. 2023). The second column shows the PAH6.2/PAH7.7 ratio. The third column shows the PAH11.3/PAH7.7 ratios. The fourth column shows the PAH3.3/PAH11.3 ratios. The final column shows [ArII]/PAH6.2. -- astro-ph.GA

Astrochemistry, Astronomy & Telescopes, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Status Report

PAHSPECS: Spatially Resolved PAH Spectroscopy At Cosmic Noon With JWST MIRI MRS

by Keith CowingJune 18, 2026June 18, 2026

We present spatially resolved spectroscopy with JWST/MIRI MRS of a representative sample of normal star-forming galaxies at z∼1.1 as part of the PAHSPECS program.

Exoplanet 29 Cygni b, seen in this artist’s concept, is a gas giant weighing about 15 times the mass of Jupiter. It orbits a type A star (shown at upper right) slightly hotter and more massive than our Sun, at an average distance of 1.5 billion miles. The star is known to possess a dusty debris disk. A hypothetical comet fragment is shown approaching the planet, while previous impacts have left dark splotches on its cloudtops, similar to what was seen from the Shoemaker-Levy 9 impact on Jupiter in our solar system. -- NASA Larger image

Astrogeology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Press Release, Stellar Cartography

Webb Redefines The Dividing Line Between Planets And Stars

by Keith CowingJune 16, 2026June 16, 2026

Planets, like those in our solar system, form in a bottom-up process where small bits of rock and ice clump together and grow larger over time. But the heftier the […]

NIRSpec average spectrum of Titan (black) compared with a radiative transfer calculation in which the surface albedo decreases smoothly with wavelength beyond 4.9 µm (red). The blue line shows the difference between the observed and synthetic spectra, shifted by 0.005 for clarity. The 5.11-µm absorption is clearly missing in the model. The small mismatch below 4.93 µm is due to a component of the non-LTE CO emission not included in the model. -- astro-ph.EP

Astrochemistry, Astronomy & Telescopes, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Pluto, Status Report, Titan

An Unidentified Absorption Feature At 5.11 μm On The Surface Of Titan And Pluto From JWST Spectroscopy

by Keith CowingJune 12, 2026June 12, 2026

Titan possesses a thick N2-CH4 atmosphere that makes it difficult to study its surface spectroscopically. The chemical composition of the solid surface of Titan thus remains very uncertain.

Optical depth spectrum and ENIIGMA best-fit model for the 4.0-4.45 µm region and its separate components. Major gas lines are labeled. The inset zooms in on the HDO ice feature. -- astro-ph.EP

Astrochemistry, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Interstellar, Press Release, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

First Detection Of HDO Ice In A Protoplanetary Disk

by Keith CowingJune 11, 2026June 11, 2026

Protoplanetary disks are the birthplace of planets and planetary systems. Investigating the molecular inventory of disks is key to linking the chemical evolution of the interstellar medium and the makeup […]

Measured effective height of Earth’s atmosphere over the SPIRou wavelength range. The surface area, S , is derived from astrometry.

Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Status Report

Earth As A Transiting Exoplanet

by Keith CowingJune 9, 2026June 10, 2026

Context. Detecting and characterizing the atmosphere of rocky planets in the habitable zone is a key objective of exoplanet research in the era of JWST and the upcoming E-ELT. Spectroscopy […]