Image of exoplanet HIP 65426 released by NASA

• The gas giant was captured by the Webb telescope.
• It is approximately 6 to 12 times the mass of Jupiter.
• Around 15 to 20 million years old.

Scientists have taken firsthand images of a planet beyond our solar system using the sophisticated optics system of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). The newly released image of exoplanet HIP 65426 by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is Webb’s first photograph of an exoplanet, demonstrating JWST’s great prowess in exploring the unknown cosmos.

The exoplanet ‘HIP 65426 b’ is younger than Earth yet larger. It is approximately 6 to 12 times the mass of Jupiter and around 15 to 20 million years old; Earth is approximately 4.5 billion years old. According to NASA, these data could assist calculate the planet’s size and age far more precisely. This gas giant was captured by the Webb telescope using four different light filters.

“This is a transformative moment, not only for Webb but also for astronomy generally,” said Sasha Hinkley, an associate professor who led the observations with a huge multinational cooperation.

355 light-years away, an exoplanet orbits far enough from its star that @NASAWebb was able to get an image. Four of them, in fact, through four different instruments! These beautiful blobs of light show a world more massive than Jupiter. They’re gorgeous! https://t.co/edLj7A6r2C pic.twitter.com/fh8JQEbSxS

— NASA Exoplanets (@NASAExoplanets) September 1, 2022

As per NASA, an exoplanet is a planet that orbits stars other than our own.

The Kepler Space Telescope of NASA discovered that the galaxy has more planets than stars. These planets’ elements are comparable to those of our solar system, albeit they do not always revolve around stars, as some exoplanets are free floating and orbit about the galactic centre.

Aside from iron or carbon, NASA believes that some may have an abundance of water or ice.

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