What just happened? For those following the development of the James Webb Space Telescope, it felt like it took forever to launch. However, it was worth the wait. The JWST provides views of light dating back to the Cosmic Dawn. It is also helpful in studying bodies closer to home.
Planetary Delights: A rogue planet is an interstellar body with planetary mass that is not gravitationally bound to any "parent" star or star-like object. The exact process by which rogue planets form is still under debate, but recent observations made with the James Webb Space Telescope may help dispel some of the mysteries surrounding these elusive galactic wanderers.
A Stinky Odyssey: HD 189733 b is a well-known exoplanet discovered in October 2005. The planet has a mass 11.2 percent greater than that of Jupiter and a radius 11.4 percent larger. According to the latest data from the James Webb Telescope, it possesses an atmosphere with rather unusual features.
Why it matters: Carbon is one of the primary building blocks of life as we know it. Therefore, the detection of carbon signs on celestial bodies other than Earth is always a significant discovery. Thanks to JWST's powerful instruments, scientists now have evidence that carbon should be abundant on one of the most promising targets for extraterrestrial life research.