Discovery of Exoplanet TOI-199 b
Scientists from the US conducted a unique study of the atmosphere of a rare exoplanet on a Saturn-like scale. A combination of factors allowed the James Webb space observatory to detail the atmosphere of an exoplanet whose climate is not so different from Earth's.
Technical Details
The object orbits a G-type star at a distance of over 330 light-years from Earth with a period of about 100 days. Its equilibrium temperature is estimated to be around 350 K (about 77 °C), and in a press release from Penn State University, the scientists who studied the exoplanet characterized it as 'Earth-like' in terms of temperature, although it is not suitable for life as we know it.
Research Results
Observations were made using the James Webb space telescope, for which researchers used the transit spectroscopy method: when TOI-199 b passed across the disk of its star, part of its light passed through the upper layers of the planet's atmosphere, and molecules in this atmosphere absorbed certain wavelengths.
Significance of the Discovery
The main result is the confident detection of methane (CH4) in the atmosphere. The registration of methane for a gas giant with a moderate climate is important for confirming models of exoplanet evolution. In this case, the theory is fully confirmed by observations, which gives scientists confidence in their correct understanding of physical processes in the Universe.