‘Special moment’ NASA’s James Webb makes stunning discovery of CO2 on alien world

The method used is known as spectroscopy, which is when different materials emit and interact with differing wavelengths or colours of light in varying ways.

Zafar Rustamkulov, from the JWST Transiting Exoplanet Community Early Release Science team, which lead the investigation, said :“As soon as the data appeared on my screen, the whopping carbon dioxide feature grabbed me

“It was a special moment, crossing an important threshold in exoplanet sciences.“

Natalie Batalha of the University of California at Santa Cruz, who leads the team, said: “Detecting such a clear signal of carbon dioxide on WASP-39 b bodes well for the detection of atmospheres on smaller, terrestrial-sized planets.”

And the scientists say the discovery of CO2 gives crucial insights into how the planet evolved over time, as well as its origin.

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Article source: https://www.express.co.uk/news/science/1660948/nasa-james-webb-carbon-dioxide-exoplanet-wasp-39b-space-news