JWST ruled out finding tiny moons around an exoplanet-that's great news
Astronomer David Kipping has proposed a new method for the James Webb Space Telescope to detect exomoons by repeatedly observing the same planetary transits. While previous attempts were hindered by instrumental noise, this approach aims to overcome data inconsistencies to finally identify moons orbiting distant exoplanets.
Why it matters
Finding exomoons is a critical step in understanding planetary system formation and identifying potentially habitable environments beyond our solar system.
edited by Gaby Clark , reviewed by Andrew Zinin
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Add as preferred source Artist's rendering of LP 890-9 c, the planet that was the focal point of the study. Credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has opened many wonders of the cosmos to scientists since it began science operations a few years ago. But one thing it hasn't done is find an "exomoon." These still-theoretical moons orbit exoplanets in other star systems, and JWST was supposed to find a plethora of them.
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