NASA has taken another historic step in extraterrestrial research. The James Webb Space Telescope has, for the first time, captured a direct image of a new planet beyond our solar system.
The exoplanet, named TWA 7b, is located about 111 light years from Earth. It orbits a young star known as TWA 7. This discovery is considered one of the most remarkable, as it is one of the lightest planets ever detected using high-contrast imaging technology—a highly precise technique that helps isolate the light of planets from the brightness of their surrounding stars.
According to NASA, the planet is about the size of Saturn and is considered a young, cold planet, discovered through the analysis of the heat it emits.
Scientists believe the discovery of TWA 7b could provide valuable insights into how planets form, and possibly offer clues about Earth’s own origins.
This marks the first time the James Webb Telescope has captured a direct image of a planet outside our solar system—and for NASA, this is just the beginning of a new era of exploration.
For context, exoplanets are planets located outside our solar system. So far, NASA has confirmed over 5,800 exoplanets, but none of them have been deemed habitable.
