Loading…
Loading contentLoading…
Loading contentThe workhorse of exoplanet atmospheres: as a planet transits its star, a sliver of starlight filters through the ring of atmosphere at its edge, and the gases there imprint absorption features that vary with wavelength. Comparing the planet's apparent size across a spectrum reveals which molecules — water, carbon dioxide, methane — are present. JWST has made this a routine, high-precision technique.
Facts on this topic will be cited from these primary and reference sources.
Mission data, planetary science, space telescopes, and public-domain imagery.
Most NASA-produced imagery is in the public domain; individual items are checked for usage terms before publication.